Sampling

Water from UL and VL were sampled and 20 liters from each Lake along with 1 kg of Urmia salt crusts (USC) from northern part of the Lake under shallow water were moved to the Laboratory.

Water mixture ratios

Beside analysis of UL and VL water samples separately, In order to see the effects of VL addition to UL, several analysis were done on different ratios of two waters mixture. Water mixing ratios were chosen as follow:

1. 60 ml of ULW and 140 ml of VLW
2. 100 ml of ULW and 100 ml of VLW ..
3. 140 ml of ULW and 60 ml of VLW

To study the effect of USC (as we expect in the natural condition) on the results from the mixture of two waters, above water mixtures once more were analyzed after equilibrating with salt crust from ULW. Therefore following also were analyzed:

1. 60 ml of ULW and 140 ml of VLW and 20 g of USC
2. 100 ml of ULW and 100 ml of VLW and 20 g of USC
3. 140 ml of ULW and 60 ml of VLW and 20 g of USC

Laboratory analysis

Before mixing water samples, they were centrifuged (10 min, 10000 rpm) to remove possible suspended particles. Then EC and pH of two waters were separately measured in pure water samples, 10 and 100 times dilution with distilled water. Total dissolved salts (TDS) were also measured in ULW and VLW water samples after drying in oven in 110^°C.

Then EC, pH and Common anions and cations (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, CO₃^2-, HCO₃^-) were measured in ULW and VLW and also water mixtures from part b (a to f).

XRD analysis

200 ml of water from ULW, VLW and water mixtures from part b were dried in oven in 75^°C. 75^°C were chosen as it was possible that some of the minerals lose their structural water in higher temperatures. Then remaining sediments were X-rayed for their minerals.