Bioaccumulation of zinc, lead, cadmium in water hyacinth, hippo grass and papyrus reed as water quality indicator in River Kisat in Kisumu County, Kenya

River Kisat in Kenya is increasingly being polluted serving as a sink for waste receiving effluent from sewerage, industrial waste and agricultural pesticide residues leading to heavy metal contamination. This has led to the contamination of the aquatic ecosystem and water used by communities for consumption and farming. Little information is available on the bio-indicative aspects of water quality using bioaccumulation factor by macrophytes. This study aimed at determining concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd in water, (Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth), Vossia cuspidata (hippo grass), Cyperus papyrus (papyrus reed) and bioaccumulation factors (BAF) in River Kisat, Kisumu County. This was determined following laboratory standard procedures using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Results showed mean concentrations (mg/L) of Cd (Below detectable limit), Zn (0.2 -0.15) and Pb (0.03-0.03) in water. Mean values were within allowable WHO drinking water limits except for Pb which was above acceptable limits. Zn recorded highest accumulated levels in E. crassipes (72.43mg/L), C. papyrus (70.13mg/L) and V. cuspidate (71.03mg/L). E. crassipes was observed to bioaccumulate the highest concentration of the heavy metals with C. papyrus bioaccumulating the lowest (E. crassipes > V. cuspidata> C. papyrus). Pearson matrix correlation analysis showed positive significant correlations (r = 0.621; p = 0.027) between Zn and Pb in water and the macrophytes which reflected a common source of pollution and indication of accumulation. BAF recorded for all macrophytes ranged from 2.45 to 6.85, above value of 1, indicating significant bioaccumulation for Zn and Pb. The findings from this study showed higher concentrations of Zn and Pb in the macrophytes in comparison to the water in River Kisat with BAF values >1 indicating bioaccumulation which represented poor water quality. The study recommends local authorities employ monitoring processes with incorporation of BAF as a water quality indicator where low metal concentrations in water are recorded, introduce penalties for polluters and sensitize local inhabitants on detrimental health effects of heavy metal and avoid use of River Kisat water for agricultural activities.

SOFTWARE FOR CALCULATING A WATER QUALITY INDICATOR SPECIFIC TO THE AMAZON REGION

The quality of the water in the Amazon's reservoirs is of fundamental importance for natural ecosystems, biota, and for the region's population. Maintaining the water quality involves long-term monitoring programs established by the requirements of Brazilian legislation. A web interface may facilitate the use of monitoring results routinely, which allows periodic insertion of previously selected water quality parameters results, to finally provide a simple and direct way to evaluate the water quality. The general objective of this study was to develop a software based on a water quality indicator (WQI) system considering chemical, physical-chemical, and biological parameters evaluated in four seasonal periods in Samuel dam. Multivariate analysis was used to select 10 significant variables (oxidation-reduction potential, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, chlorophyll a, phosphate, Ba, Ca, Fe, Na, and Sn). The web software added innovation to the project, enabling to storage of data from analysis of field-collected samples in an organized and safe way in a database, in addition to speeding up the calculation of the WQI, making it possible to classify the water quality more quickly and accurately.

Surface Sediment Diatom as A Water Quality Indicator: Case Study: Cilalay and Cibuntu Ponds, Cibinong

Diatom is classified as algae within the Division of Bacillariophyta. They are unicellular eukaryotic organisms characterized by siliceous cell walls that can be long preserved in sediments. Therefore, diatom analysis in sediment records is a potential water quality indicator for present or paleo studies. The current knowledge on the distribution and diversity of diatoms in the sediment in the urban pond is poorly known. This study aimed to identify the distribution and diversity of diatoms from the sediments of the pond. We expect to obtain a primary database of a variety of diatoms. The sediment samples were taken from Cibuntu and Cilalay Ponds in Cibinong Botanical Garden. Sediments were digested using HCL and H2O2. The resulting diatom solution was dried and transferred onto glass coverslip, which subsequently mounted onto microscope slides using Naphrax (Refraction index 1.7). Diatom identification was examined using a light microscope at 1,000x magnification. Diatom communities in Cibuntu Pond were dominated by species Aulacoseria ambigua, Eunotia bilunaris, Cymbopleura sp, Discostella stelligera, and Rossithidium sp with diversity index of 2.4 and species evenness of 0.8. Whereas, species Fragilaria sp, Eunotia monodon, Navicymbula pusilla, Eunotia bilunaris, and Pinnularia viridis were predominant in Cilalay Pond with diversity index of 1.6 and species evenness of 0.5. Based on the diatom community, Cibuntu Pond is eutrophic indicated by the occurrence of Aulacoseria ambigua, whereas Cilalay Pond is meso-eutrophic indicated by the dominance of Fragillaria. This exploratory survey provides the first inventory of diatom assemblage in Cibuntu and Cilalay Ponds for roughly inferring the environmental changes in a shallow lake ecosystem.

Microbial Indicators and Their Use for Monitoring Drinking Water Quality—A Review

An increase in the incidence of water-borne human diseases, such as diarrhea and emesis, has occurred due to drinking polluted water. These water-borne diseases can lead to death, if correct treatment is not provided. Assuring that drinking water quality is safe has been a crucial challenge for public health. Water contamination with pathogenic microorganisms represents a seriously increased threat to human health. Currently, different microorganisms are being used as the primary indicator to assess water quality total coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) being the most common. However, increasing the occurrence of water-borne illness from sources deemed safe by the microbial standard criteria has raised the question—are these microbial indicators reliable and sensitive enough to ensure water quality? Currently, other microorganisms including bacteria, enteric virus, and protozoa are being tested and used in different countries as alternative indicators to monitor water quality. It is necessary to study the diverse water quality indicator systems used throughout the world and their efficacy with the present water quality. Although water quality standards suggest adding pathogenic microorganisms such as enteric virus as an indicator, China only uses pathogenic E. coli, protozoa. Pin-pointing the shortage of the current water quality indicator system in China is crucial in order to propose changes in future water quality indicator systems.

Abundance of Meiofauna and Physical-Chemical Parameters as Water Quality Indicator

The zone of Losari Coast is an icon of Makassar city, however increase activity of surrounding communities causes a decrease in the water quality. Meiofauna is an effective benthic organism used as an indicator of water quality. This study assessed the meiofauna abundance and physical-chemical parameters as water quality indicator in the Losari Coast, Makassar. The sampling method in this study was purposive sampling. The resuts showed that total meiofauna abundance identified was 66791 indv.m-2, composed of 12 phylum and 91 species or genera. Stations at the estuary of the Jeneberang and Tallo River are two sites with high level of abundance, this condition allows presence of organic contaminants triggers the high growth of meiofauna in these locations. Dissolved Oxygen is below its supposed level in waters. Acidity, phosphate and nitrate content at some of research stations exceed the threshold of their allowed presence in waters set by Indonesia government. Ostracoda, oligochaeta, polychaeta, tunicata and ciliophora are phylums with a high level of abundance, because the phylum has high adaptability to pollutant. Good water quality is indicated by a variety of biota living in the waters, the range of diversity and uniformity indices shows that meiofauna species are categorized highly diverse and evenly distributed. The dominance index shows that there is no species was dominant, except stations around Losari reclamation project. Temperature, current velocity, depth, brightness, salinity, pH, DO, nitrate-seawater, and phosphate-seawater correlate with meiofauna abundance. The results as a consideration for the management or monitoring of coastal environments.