Which are the most important pollutants to analyse in a river? Due to a time limit, I can not analyse all the elements in the river, for that reason I would like to focus on the most important ~ 5 pollutants which cause the main danger in human health.
I am working on the topic "Ishem River Cleaning Programme". Ishem is a very polluted river in Albania which you can see it also from the video of ZDF-Auslandsjournal starting from the minute 00:44. https://www.zdf.de/politik/auslandsjournal/albaniens-dreckiges-geschaeft-100.html.
After deciding on the most important pollutants I would like to analyse also the plants, soil and drinking water to see how far has gone this pollutants. I think this is the only way to have some real results on my hand which could help me in some further practical steps on cleaning the river.
Thank you very much in advance!
Kind regards, Lulzim Baumann
0157 710 906 15
Dissolved Oxygen, BOD, COD are the major parameters to be analysed for pollution measurement.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/search?qs=pollutants%20to%20analyse%20in%20a%20river&show=25&sortBy=relevance
I agree with Supriya that DO, BOD, and COD would be a great place to start. From there, I would try and get a further understand of what pollutants may be present (industrial, ag, sewage, etc.) to determine the remaining pollutants for your analysis. Heavy metals might be a good place to start. Also, USEPA has priority pollutants that may be useful: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/priority-pollutant-list-epa.pdf
The first step is to analyse for the dissolved oxygen, COD,BOD then you move on to checking the contaminants that are present Like Anions,dyes,heavy metals etc.
All the researchers give good suggestions .DO,BOD,COD are the parameters that give you better information about the river water quality.besides another important parameters are TDS- total dissolved solids and Hardness.
Color, Odor, Turbidity, COD and BOD, Suspended Solids, Oil and Grease, Toxic Heavy Metals and Bacteria should be tested.
DO, BOD and COD are OK. I recommend to perform inventory of biggest industrial polluters and quality of their wastewater (heavy metals, toxic compounds, .......) to be able to determine other pollutants to be monitored. The rest of pollution comes from municipalities or agruciltural activities and there would not be very specific pollutants I suppose.
Accordsing to results of the inventory you can plan your further monitoring.
Reagrds
Vit
https://epd.georgia.gov/sites/epd.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/devwtrplan_b.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228539654_Analysis_of_Water_Pollution_and_Ecosystem_Health_in_the_Chao_Lake_Basin_China
Article Analysis of water pollution and evaluation of purification m...
I find all the answers are useful.
I would suggest you to define your list based upon your objectives and the field situation: Is your research focused on the environmental quality of the river water or are you thinking on a source of raw potable water?
Some suggestions:
-DO, BOD and COD reflect the amount of organic matter (urban waste, livestock, food industry...).
-Conductivity is a fast way to evaluate the presence of dissolved salts.
-Some microbiological analysis is also useful for an assessment on public health problems (Coliforms?).
-And then you must look for indicators of industrial pollution, like oil and grease, heavy metals...
Look to EPA, WHO and EU reports for inspiration on the most basic indicators.
Besides analysing DO, BOD & COD, I feel that the industrial effluent also finds its way into the surface water, so it should also be checked for some heavy metals like Pb, Cr etc. as they may pose severe threat to life.
Dear Lulzim Baumann,
I have thoroughly studied your quarries and found that you have to clearly mention the research objective whether it is for Course Project, Thesis, Ph.D. Dissertation or Project Work. More over you have to clearly mention where the river water is used (Drinkng Water Supply, Industrial Use, Irrigation etc.) and other purposes.
I think the Ishem river may receive domestic, industrial and snow melting surface run-off water and water from agriculture land. If you have given such details after walk over survey along the long stretch of river and sources of pollution (point or diffuse) it makes easier to select the significant water pollution parameters.
Any way you have to consider that river water quality depends on various factors such as geographic location, climatic condition, vegetation, soil type, minerals, river hydraulics and hydrology as natural factors and industries establishment along both the bank of the river and effluent disposal including domestic wastewater etc. as man made or anthropogenic factors.
Considering above mentioned facts I would like to suggest you to consider
all the possible physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters (about 30)
laboratory and compare to WHO standard considering the purpose or water usage and concentrate to those major or significant parameters, exceeding the standard which indicate pollution. Then you have to monitor on these selected parameters.
Significant river water pollution parameter are: DO, BOD, COD, NO2, NO3, Turbidity, SS, TDS, EC, E-Coli etc.
Regards,
Dr. Chet
An important measure of the healthiness of the river will be its TOC, a more rapid; reliable and appropriate indicator of its pollutant load than the BOD or COD.
A second, rapid and appropriate indicator of healthiness of the river should be its indicator bacteria load.
After this a scan of CAM (Commonly Analyzed Metals) should also be inexpensive and informative.
Temperature and tree cover will inform as to the ability of fish to spawn and thrive there.
Hope this helps.
The major parameter to understand the level of organic toxicity is DO, furthermore other important parameter includes- COD, BOD, TS & TDS, Ammonical nitrogen (if the river is non-perennial then chances of eutrophication), Pathogen test (start by presumptive), and if possible then also conduct test for the persistent pollutants.
Dear Lulzim,
I guess You should separate the identification and the spacial distribution.
Identification I would do in maybe three spots. take the samples and perform or get performed a non target analysis that should tell You (either via peak hights or via peak heights correlated with toxic factors) what Your main problem may be.
By GC-MS You caan do it yourself I guess, by HPLC-MS You might want help from groups that do that on a regualr basis (UFZ, EAWAG etc).
Once identified You can focus on the main problems and research on the spacial distribution of the main troublemakers.
If You know already which compounds might make trouble, You can cook up marker compounds for certain groups of pollution. e.g. carbamazepine for pharmaceuticals, glyphosate for pesticides etc.
You might also consider that a lot of pollutants can be analysed in one go, thus without much extra effort or cost, while adding one that needs another extraction procedure might eat massively into ressources.
sounds intersting ;-)
Kai
pH, Conductivity,DO, BOD, COD , TOC Nitrogen are important parameters. first three are to be done on the spot. Heavy metal / trace elements may be analysed if Industrial effluents are also coming from upstream
Heavy metal uptake will be appropriate choice as you mentioned you want to access in Plant as well, Nitrate leaching is also a threat , otherwise pharmaceutical and nano plastic pollutants are latest ones in recent studies
There are many important mesurement should be taken to determine the pollutants in the water river such as pH, Conductivity,DO, BOD, COD , TOC Nitrogen are important parameters. Heavy metal / trace metals may be analysed if Industrial effluents are also coming from upstream. Turbidity is more important measure the water river beside organic matter should be analysis.
pH, EC (Electrical Conductivity), TDS (Total Dissolved Solid), DO (Dissolved Oxygen), BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand)
The important parameters can be measured as indicatres of pollutants to analyse in rivers are: TDS, DO, BOD, NO3, EC or Salinity and some heavy metals such as (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) etc....
Dear Arvind Singh you can try links below:
Article Fate and effect of pollutants in rivers: from analysis to mo...
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Which_are_the_most_important_pollutants_to_analyse_in_a_river
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09593338809384642
Article Analysis of photosynthetic activity in the most polluted str...
Regards
The main important parameters are PH, TDS, EC, DO, BOD. I think you have to be specific to divide the parameters into group and select them according to your objectives because there are many different parameters that may be taken
The analysis depends on your interest and possibly the intended end use of your purified water.
Basically you should look at indicator pollutants like DO, BOD, Nitrate, Phosphate TDS, and a host of others. These pollutants will give a lead on the possibility of finding some other specific pollutants. You can also consult literature so as to be able to know which set of pollutants have been analysed in the past so as to be able to streamline your analysis in such a way that you will provide a data base for those pollutants that have not been considered in the past.
Another factor that may help you decide on the pollutants of choice could be the predominant activity in the area of the study.
I agree with Dr. Aysar Alawadi for your answer . The main important parameters are PH, TDS, EC, DO, BOD and COD, SSP, ions and metals. Basically, Do, BOD, Nitrate, phosphate, sulfates, metals can give a lead on the possibility of pollutants.
I would say the heavy metals such as arsenic that can cause cancer, mercury, cadmium... and certain antibiotics.
I agree with Jean-Pierre Jost for contribution around the heavy metals such as arsenic , mercury, cadmium and lead that cause cancer especially air components.
Yes in addition to above trace metals advised by Dr Omar, recently Uranium in ppb level has been found in water resources, which is matter of great concern
nitrates, phosphorus and uranium (possible pollutant from NATO's Yugoslavia War of 1999)
(Physico-chemical parameter) like- Colour, pH, EC, TDS, DO, BOD, COD, Heavy metal like Cd, Pb, Hg and trace elements and Pesticides detection in aquatic biota is the important pollutants to analyse in a river water bodies.
Regards
Krishna
Detect the presence of Escherichia coli and heavy metals such as Hg, As, Pb, Cd Cr, Zn.
Hello everyone,
thank you very much for your engagement and your support.
The Ishmi River is around 74km and is polluted from different sources like industries and direct solid waste from the inhabitants. Thus, based also on your suggestions I have decided to analyze the organic pollutants like TOC and BOD and the heavy metals like As, Pb, Cd Cr, Zn, Cu, and Ni.
There are already many studies that prove the very high pollution of the river and my aim is to find out where the pollution is coming from. Thus, I have decided to divide the river into around 20 study areas and to analyze each of the areas separately. In this way, I hope that I can find the hot-spots regions. At the same time, I will register all the solid waste hot-spots and industries around the river and in the end, I will have a clear picture of the type and the source of the pollution. In further steps, I plan also to offer some solutions to improve the situation.
Best,
Lulzim
Turbidity, suspended solids, TDS, transparency, odour, aspect, BOD&COD, heavy metals, nutrients, etc...depending also on the anthropogenic activities along each sampling station along the river, another pollutions could be consider.
I agree with Celestin Defo answer...." Turbidity, suspended solids, TDS, transparency, odor, aspect, BOD&COD, heavy metals, nutrients, etc...depending also on the anthropological activities along each sampling station along the river, another pollution could be consider".
It depends on the use of the river water. if the water is mainly used for drinking, yes agree with Omar
المياه الثيقلة التي ترمى بالانهار مشكلة لابد الحد منها ومعالجتها
Dear Lulzim Baumann
I think one of the most important pollutants are:
Chemical waste products from industrial processes such pollutants include cyanide, zinc, lead, copper, cadmium and mercury. and of course do not forget: pesticides, dyes, organic chemicals etc.
Regards
You please study pesticides and fertilizers which are used on large scale and may lead to serious problems in future
We can conclude, the most important pullutants for any river depend on the nature of wastewater deposits to river.
You can also use some physioloigical and morphological parametrers of cultivated plants as indicators of river water quality, as you can see it in my work where my colleagues and I analyzed water quality for pollutants such as: general parameters (electroconductivity, surface tension, ammonia nitrogen etc.), heavy metals, pesticides, organic compounds and pharmaceuticals (paracetamol, naproxen, ibuprofen).
Heavy metals, lead , Sulfate, Sulphite, Sulphate, pH, EC (Electrical Conductivity), TDS (Total Dissolved Solid), DO (Dissolved Oxygen), BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), Turbidity, E.Coli, Coliform, pesticides, organic compounds and pharmaceuticals, surfactant, Chloride, fluoride, phenolic compounds, dyes and nutrients (K,N,P).
I recommend Dear Dr. Muhammad Shoukat Hussain for your nice contribution.
Now a days metallic pollutants (Cd,Pb, Zn, Mn, Fe, As, Cr , Cu, Hg & uranium)are also found in surface water in most of the rivers, hence evaluation of these metals is also important to correlate the pollution in river.
pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid, dissolved oxygen), biological oxygen demand) and chemical oxygen demand.
The major water quality parameters in river are: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand As well as contamination of different heavy metal ions such as Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn, Fe, As, Cr , Cu, Hg & Uranium, along with Sulfate, Sulphite, urbidity, E.Coli, Coliform, pesticides, organic and inorganic compounds.
Organic pollutants and inorganic pollutants (metals and ions) and E.Coli, Coliform, pesticides.
Accordingly, selection of polluants to analyse should be carefully planned in relation with point source or non point source of pollution surrounding the sampling point
pH, TDS, BOD, COD, nutrients, toxic heavy metals and pesticides and pathogens.
There are solid and liquid are pollutants, the water soluble products of inorganic and organic products are dangerous and highly toxic
Dear Hana, will you please translate it , we could not understand.
For physicochemical ( pH,DO,TDS,BOD,EC) and for heavy metals ( Fe, pb, Cd)
It depends with the use of water as each use like irrigation, domestic use and industrial use or even ecosystem needs like in lakes due to eutrophication. Most of the analyse pH, NO3, TDS, emerging contaminants like those from perfumes.
Wastewater and Sewage. The wastewater and sewage that is produced by every home is treated with chemicals and then released into the sea.
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