Pakistan-US Science and Technology Cooperation Program  Phase 6 (2015 Deadline) Assessing the Cause of Groundwater Nitrate Pollution in Pakistan and the Development of Environmental Chemistry Research and Curriculum at Abdul Wali Khan University US partner: Greg Michalski, Purdue University Pak partner: Muhammad Balal, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan Progress Reports 2016: This USAID project is designed to coordinate US and Pakistani scientists so they can gain a better understanding of groundwater pollution in the Thar Desert in southern Pakistan. The groundwater in the Thar Desert has nitrate levels of 200-1000ppm, which is 20-100 times the US EPA recommended levels for potable water. Such high levels of nitrate pose a health threat to people and livestock that rely on groundwater for sustenance in this region. The origin of the nitrate, however, is unclear, possibly originating from sewage and manure, agriculture seepage, or naturally-occurring soil nitrate that has accumulated from the atmosphere over time. The project will modernize the equipment and develop an Environmental Chemistry lab for researchers and students at Abdul Wali Khan University. Preliminary results from a groundwater survey suggest that some of the wells are contaminated by animal waste that has been converted into nitrate by bacteria. Other wells indicate that high nitrate levels may be linked to flushing of old soil nitrate that was accumulated from the deposition of dust from the atmosphere and subsequently flushed to the groundwater by modern irrigation. 2017: This project is designed to coordinate U.S. and Pakistani scientists so they can gain a better understanding of groundwater pollution in the Thar Desert, in southern Pakistan. The groundwater in the Thar Desert has nitrate levels of 200-1000ppm, 20-100 times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended levels for potable water. Such high levels of nitrate pose a health threat to people and livestock that rely on groundwater for sustenance in this region. The origin of the nitrate, however, is unclear, possibly originating from sewage and manure, agriculture seepage, or naturally occurring soil nitrate that has accumulated from the atmosphere over time.  The project will modernize the equipment and develop an Environmental Chemist lab for researchers and students at Abdul Wali Khan University. Preliminary results from a groundwater survey suggest that some of the wells are contaminated by animal waste that has been converted into nitrate by bacteria. Other wells indicate that high nitrate levels may be linked to flushing of old soil nitrate that was accumulated from the deposition of dust from the atmosphere and subsequently flushed into the groundwater by modern irrigation. 2018: The USAID project “Isotopic evaluation of nitrate sources in deserts and their correlation with other physico-chemical parameters and trace & toxic elements” is designed to coordinate US and Pakistani scientists so they can gain an better understanding of groundwater pollution in the Thar Desert, in southern Pakistan. The groundwater in the Thar Desert have nitrate levels 200-1000ppm, which is 20-100 times the US-EPA recommended level for potable water. Such high levels of nitrate pose a health threat to people and livestock that rely on groundwater for sustenance in this region. The origin of the nitrate, however, was unclear, possibly originating from sewage and manure, agriculture seepage or naturally occurring soil nitrate that has accumulated from the atmosphere over time. Isotope analysis suggests that most of the nitrate is from manure, but 10-20% is from natural soils, recently leached by irrigation. The project will modernize the equipment and develop an Environmental Chemist lab for researchers and students at Abdul Wali Khan University. Preliminary results from a groundwater survey suggest that some of the wells are contaminated by animal waste the has been converted into nitrate by bacteria. Other well indicate that high nitrate levels may be linked to flushing of old soil nitrate that was accumulated from the deposition of dust from the atmosphere and subsequently flushed to the groundwater by modern irrigation.