LAKE VAN.
Quantities of solids in solution estimated in parts per 100,000 parts of water.
| | Chancourtois.[1] | Abich.[2] | Serda.[3] | Thorp. |
| Chlorine | | 566.679 | 488.182 | 579.114 | 568.9 |
| Carbonates | | 329.057 | 249.448 | 328.637 | 320.565 |
| Sulphates | | 212.773 | 188.476 | 198.467 | 203.4 |
| Phosphates | | ... | ... | 0.146 | 0.05 |
| Nitrates | | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Soda | | 1206.370 | 862.848 | 1040.864 | 1115.916 |
| Potash | | 29.742 | 29.238 | 52.809 | 39.919 |
| Magnesia | | 26.211 | 21.250 | 27.311 | not determined |
| Lime | | ... | ... | 5.240 | ... |
| Strontia | | ... | ... | 0.063 | ... |
| Iron oxide | | ... | ... | 0.303 | ... |
| Manganese oxide | | ... | ... | 0.223 | ... |
| Ammonia | | ... | ... | 0.573 | ... |
| Silica |  | 18.000 | trace | 7.284 | 7.53 |
| Alumina | 3.58 | 0.347 | 1.01 |
| Total solids in solution | | 2260.000 | 1734.21 | 2110.979 | 2248.9 |
| Suspended matter | | ... | ... | A little organic matter | 0.39 |
Calculated composition in parts per 100,000.
| | Chancourtois. | Abich. | Serda. | Thorp. |
| Sodium chloride | | 938.000 | 810.67 | 953.835 | 938.837 |
| carbonate | | 861.000 | 543.84 | 714.426 | 773.110 |
| sulphate | | 333.000 | 258.68 | 266.527 | 369.095 |
| Potassium sulphate | | 55.000 | 54.06 | 97.655 | 73.819 |
| Magnesium carbonate | | 55.000 | 40.71 | 57.308 | not determined |
| sulphate | | ... | 22.67 | ... | |
| Calcium carbonate | | ... | ... | 4.692 | ... |
| sulphate | | ... | ... | 5.928 | ... |
| phosphate | | ... | ... | 0.319 | ... |
| Strontium sulphate | | ... | ... | 0.111 | ... |
| Iron carbonate | | ... | ... | 0.488 | ... |
| Manganese carbonate | | ... | ... | 0.360 | ... |
| Ammonium chloride | | ... | ... | 1.699 | ... |
| Silica | | 18.000 | 3.58 | 7.284 | 7.53 |
| Alumina | 0.347 | 1.01 |
| Nitrates | | ... | ... | ... | 0.05 |
| Percentage of solids insolution | | 22.6% | 17.34% | 21.10% | 22.48% |
The specific gravity of the water was determined by Chancourtois as 1.0188, and by Abich as 1.0189, both at 19° C. As Abich points out, the water of Lake Van is nearly identical in composition with that of some of the soda-lakes at the south-eastern foot of Ararat, in the Araxes plain. In some of these the chloride, in others the carbonate, and in others again the sulphate of sodium is the predominating constituent. Probably the composition of the waters of Lake Van vary somewhat in different parts of the lake; Abich’s sample was certainly less saline than those of the other analysts.
The following analyses of the extraordinarily saline waters of Lake Urmi are appended for contrast rather than for comparison with those of Lake Van.