THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY LE THI HUONG MAI MONITORING THE EUTROPHICATION OF FRESHWATERS BACHELOR THESIS Study Mode: Full-time Major: Environmental Science and Management Faculty: Advanced Education Program Office Batch: 2014-2018 Thai Nguyen, 25/09/2018 Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry Degree Program Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management Student name Le Thi Huong Mai Student ID DTN1453060057 Thesis Title Monitoring the eutrophication of freshwaters. Chihpin Huang- National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. Do Xuan Luan- Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam. Supervisor’s signature Abstract: The eutrophication has emerged as a major concern in developing countries.
The present study sought to assess eutrophication and manage water quality in two research regions in Taiwan. Besides, also evaluating the effects of installation solar panels in these places. The study was designed as a collecting the water quality parameters: Chlorophyll-α (Chl- α), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Ammonia Nitrogen (NH3-N) and transparency (SD). calculate and compare water quality through the River Pollution Index.
From calculations and analysis, there has been no eutrophication phenomenon affecting the quality of the water as well as the harmful effects of solar panels on the water that are installed in the reservoir. Although most of the parameters indicate that water in the two study areas meets the criteria, further research is required to detect and handle promptly when signs of impact from eutrophication or solar panels occur, especially in the water used for irrigation. i Keywords Eutrophication, RPI, Water Quality Index. Number of pages 33 Date of submission 25th September, 2018 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Firstly, I would like to thanks to the cooperation between Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry and National Chiao Tung University for giving me a precious chance to do my research in wonderful country like Taiwan.
It brings me abundant honor to work and submit my thesis for graduation. I really want to show my deeply grateful to Prof. Chihpin Huang for his generous and useful suggestions during the planning and development of my research work. His pleasure to give his time so valuable to help me finished my internship in Taiwan.
I sincerely thanks to Dr. Do Xuan Luan for his conscientious contribution, enthusiastic attitude and precious critiques of this research work and after I arrived to Taiwan, helping me to understand how to complete proposal and gave me thesis structure. I am also thankful to Ms. Hsiao-Fen and Mr.
Ngo Dinh Ngoc Giao for teaching me various techniques and methods used in water analysis field. They were very helpful in providing me constructive feedback and suggestions on my project and helping me to successful complete several of my experiments and report. Without them help and devotion, I afraid that I would not able to catch this stage. I feel really lucky to be a part in Prof.
Chihpin Huang’s lab. Thanks to all the members in Professor Huang’s laboratory who willing give me a hand when I work in there. I also show deep gratitude to my family for giving me emotional, encouragement and physical and financial support. At last, I would like to thank all those other persons who supported me in finishing this report.
Due to my lack of knowledge, the mistake is inevitable, I am so thankful if I obtain the comments and opinions from teachers and others to contribute my report. Sincerely, Le Thi Huong Mai iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS. iv LIST OF FIGURES.
vi LIST OF TABLE. vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. Eutrophication assessment in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS.
Water sampling and analysis. Water quality assessment. Estimation of Chlorophyll-a:. Analyze Suspended Solids (SS).
Analyze the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) index. Measurement of the Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) index:. Measure pH and ORP values. Ammonia Nitrogen measurement.
Analyze the Total Phosphorous (TP) index:. Calculation RPI and CTSI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Water Quality Assessment.
River Pollution Index. Calculation of the RPI. Calculation of CTSI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.
32 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1: Flood detention pond in North of Taiwan .2: Steps to estimate chlorophyll-α index.3: Alcohol 90% and a DR 6000 spectrophotometer using in Chl-α estimation11 Figure 3.4: Procedure of Suspended Solids measurement .5: Glass fiber filter, furnace and electronic balance using in SS measurement12 Figure 3.6: Hach COD test kit and a DR 6000 spectrophotometer using in COD analysis 13 Figure 3.7: The measurement device using in measuring DO index .8: Low temperature incubator using in keeping water sample .9: The device using in measuring pH and ORP values .10: Secchi disk using in measuring the transparency .11: Ammonia Nitrogen test procedure .12: Hach NH3-N reagent set.13: Hach Total Phosphorous Test Kit using in TP analysis .1: Diagram about some water parameters in site A. 24 vi LIST OF TABLE Table 2.1: Nutrient level, biomass and productivity of lakes at each trophic category .2: Methodological tools, indicators, and ranges used for Greek coastal areas for the eutrophication assessment.1: Location of water sample .2: The calculation and comparison baselines for RPI (Environmental Protection Administration Executive Yuan, R.3: The comparison baselines for CTSI (Environmental Protection Administration Executive Yuan, R.1: Water quality index results in site A .2: Water quality index results in site B .3: River Pollution Index results in site A .4: River Pollution Index results in site B .5: CTSI results in site A .6: CTSI results in site B. 29 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS E.I Eutrophication Index RPI River pollution Index EPA Environmental Protection Admisnitration Executive Yuan, R.C (Taiwan) DO Dissolve Oxygen BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand SS Suspended Solids CTSI Carlson’s Trophic State Index SD Transparency Chl-α Chlorophyll a TP Total Phosphorous COD Chemical Oxygen Demand ORP Oxidation-Reduction Potential viii PART I. Research rationale Eutrophication is a harmful environmental issue because it leads to a deterioration of water quality and is one of the biggest impediments to achieving the quality objectives established by the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) at the European level.
Following the Survey of the State of the World's Lakes- a promoted project by the International Lake Environment Committee announced that eutrophication affects on 54% of Asian lakes, 53% of those in Europe, 48% of those in North America, 41% of those in South America and 28% of those in Africa (www. All water parts are impacted by a natural and slow eutrophication process, which consists of a continuously growing in the contribution of nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus (organic load) up to it overloads the capacity of the water body (i. the capacity of a lake, river or sea to purify itself), resulting in structural changes in the waters. That circumstance has gone through a very rapid progression in the last few decades because of the appearance of human as well as their activities.
Eutrophication also occurs naturally over thousands of years as the lakes grow old and filled with sediments. Besides, human activities have sped up the degree and rate of eutrophication through both minimal source and maximal source discharges of the chemical nutrients (phosphates and nitrates) into aquatic systems. Some of the consequences of eutrophication include threatens the survival of fish and other aquatic life forms; deterioration of water quality and limits access to safe drinking water; poisoning and impact on human health; endangers fishing and degradation of recreational opportunities. Remarkeable, one of the major effects of 1 eutrophication is algal blooms that barrier light from getting into the water and harm the fauna and flora that need it.
If the overgrowth of algae increase, it can prevent oxygen from getting into the water, making it hypoxic and causing a dead zone where no organisms can survive. The sun provides the numerous resource for creating green and sustainable electricity without toxic contamination or global warming discharges. Solar energy systems/power plants do not generate air pollution, water pollution, or greenhouse gases. Using solar energy can have a positive and indirect influence on the environment when it improves or decreses the use of other energy sources that have larger impacts on the environment.
However, many conflict that solar panels are not that clean since they require energy to produce and sometimes use harmful chemical during the processing. Therefore, lots of research and projects are set up to assess the impact of solar panels on the environment where they are installed. Taiwan is a country that focuses on the assurance and steady state of the environment. So, the influence of eutrophication and the solar panels on the water environment is a concern of this country.
Allowing for all aspects and problems that I mentioned above, I suggest research: “Monitoring eutrophication of freshwater”. Research’s objectives - The objective of my research was to assess the eutrophication and manage the water quality in local areas (two regions in North and South) of Taiwan. - In addition, evaluating the possible effects of solar panels on the research water environment where they are installed. 2 This study used parameters of Water Quality Index and calculated by River Pollution Index equations.
Research question - How does eutrophication take place at two research sites? - Is the solar panel having any impact on water quality in two research regions? 1. Limitations Due to the limited time of my internship in Taiwan, there are not many observations the fluctuation about the effects of eutrophication and solar panels factors on research regions. Eutrophication Eutrophication is defined in several ways; there is general agreement on the following definition of eutrophication (Tusseau-Vuillemin 2001; Bukata 2005; Khan et al. 2005): the nutrients enrichment from various sources into water body together with other factors (lights, temperature, oxygen, and retention time) causing increase in primary productivity of the ecosystem.
Presence of eutrophication is commonly associated with greenish slim layer (Khan et al. 2005) which reduces light penetration as well as oxygen mixing with limit growth of other species in water body. Eutrophication process is classified into various trophic states as described. Firstly, Oligotrophic which nutrients content in the water body is low and not productive in terms of marine fauna and flora life.
Next, the Mesotrophic is intermediate nutrient level, fairly productive in phase of marine fauna and flora life and showing emerging status of water quality issues. Then, Eutrophic which is the water part emerge as richness sign in nutrients, very productive in phase of marine fauna and flora life and showing increasing status of water issues. The last one, Hypertrophic- that is very high nutrient concentrations in the water body where plant growth demonstrated by physical reasons; water quality issues are serious and almost continuous. The above mentioned trophic states category is described in Table 2.1 as adopted from Chapman (1996).1: Nutrient level, biomass and productivity of lakes at each trophic category Mean Annual mean Secchi disc Minimum Annual mean Chlorophyll Trophic TP Sec chi disc transparency oxygen chlorophyll maxima category (mg/ transparency minima (m) (% sat) (mg/ ) (mg/ ) ) (m) Ultra- oligotroph 4.
Eutrophication Index Eutrophication Index (E.I) is among other Water Quality Indicates (WQIs) which have been developed for aquatic system (Giordani et al. There are various methods to assess the eutrophication quality: (i) the trophic index TRIX (Vollenweider et al., 1998; Primpas and Karydis, 2011); (ii) chl-a biomass classification scheme (Simboura et al., 2005; Pagou et al., 2002); and (iii) eutrophication index (E.) (Primpas et al. 5 TRIX was measured according to the equation based on Vollenweider et al (1998), whereas eutrophication ranges have been modified and applied following to Primpas and Karydis (2011): TRIX = log10 [(CPO4*CDIN*CChl-a*D%O2) +1. was calculated by the following mathematical equation (Primpas et al.261*CChl-a Where: CDIN is the concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (= CNO3+ CNO2+ CNH4); CPO4 is the concentration of phosphate; CNO3 is the concentration of nitrate; CNO2 is the concentration of nitrite; CNH4 is the concentration of ammonium (nutrient concentrations for TRIX in mg*m-3; for E.