Assessing the influence of human activities on river health: a case for two South African rivers with differing pollutant sources

Chetty, Shaeen; Pillay, Letitia

doi:10.1007/s10661-019-7308-4

Cited by 42 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Overall, the heavy metal levels reported in this study were very low compared with those reported in polluted rivers linked to industrial and WWTP effluents [3,[32][33][34]45,51]. One limitation of the study is that heavy metal composition was only done on water samples that generally gives lower heavy metal composition, particularly at higher pH condition.…”

Section: Impact Of Industrial Wastewater and Wwtp Effluents On Vaal Rmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…However, the importance of industrialisation in the achievement of global and national economic growth, wealth and development notwithstanding, it can also be harmful to the environment. Rapid industrialisation is believed to be one of the main contributors to the pollution of environmental resources around the world [1], and South Africa is no exception [2,3]. While high-quality water is essential for most industrial processes, many of these processes generate large effluents of contaminated wastewater, whose safe disposal into receiving water bodies is of great environmental and health concern worldwide.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Investigating Industrial Effluent Impact on Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vaal, South Africa

Iloms

Ololade

Ogola

et al. 2020

IJERPH

151

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Industrial effluents with high concentrations of toxic heavy metals are of great concern because of their persistence and non-degradability. However, poor operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment infrastructure is a great concern in South Africa. In this study, physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals (HMs) concentration of wastewater from five different industries, Leeuwkuil wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) inflow and effluent, and Vaal River water samples were monitored between January and September 2017, to investigate the correlation between heavy metal pollution and the location of industries and ascertain the effectiveness of the municipal WWTP. Physico-chemical variables such as pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) exhibited both temporal and spatial variations with the values significantly higher in the industrial samples. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) results also showed that aluminium (Al), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were significantly higher in industrial effluents (p < 0.05), with only Zn and Al exhibiting significant seasonal variability. Statistical correlation analysis revealed a poor correlation between physicochemical parameters and the HMs compositional quality of wastewater. However, toxic HMs (Zn, Cu and Pb) concentrations in treated wastewater from WWTP were above the permissible limits. Although the WWTP was effective in maintaining most of the wastewater parameters within South African Green drop Standards, the higher Cu, Zn, Pb and COD in its final effluent is a concern in terms of Vaal river health and biological diversity. Therefore, we recommend continuous monitoring and maintenance of the WWTPs infrastructure in the study area.

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Section: Impact Of Industrial Wastewater and Wwtp Effluents On Vaal Rmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating Industrial Effluent Impact on Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vaal, South Africa

Iloms

Ololade

Ogola

et al. 2020

IJERPH

151

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, 1,116 freshwater migratory fish species are threatened and with 102 additional extinctions (Hogan, 2011). In tropical regions, particularly in Sub-Saharan countries, rivers are under pressure due to human activities that deteriorate water quality, limiting water availability for drinking and other uses (Traoré et al, 2016;Kaboré et al, 2018;Tampo, 2018;Chetty and Pillay, 2019;Agboola et al, 2020a). Furthermore, the river pollution problem, related to human disturbances through anthropogenic activities and urbanization (Azrina et al, 2006;Faridah et al, 2012;Edegbene et al, 2021), has many adverse impacts on river ecosystems that have required managers to increase water assessment efforts (Clifford and Tariro, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benthic Macroinvertebrates as Ecological Indicators: Their Sensitivity to the Water Quality and Human Disturbances in a Tropical River

et al. 2021

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Macroinvertebrate metrics are helpful tools for the assessment of water quality and overall aquatic ecosystem health. However, their degree of sensitivity and the most reliable metrics for the bioassessment program development are very poorly studied in Togo. This study aimed to test the sensitivity of metrics calculated at the family and genus levels. A total of 21 water quality parameters and macroinvertebrates' data were collected during three periods at 20 sampling sites within the Zio River. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), factor analysis (FA), and Spearman's correlation analysis were conducted on water quality parameters and macroinvertebrates' data. The results reveal that macroinvertebrate structure and composition were affected by water quality parameters related to human disturbances. In this study, three groups of macroinvertebrate communities were identified including sensitive taxa such as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, and Odonata (EPTO) taxa; the resistant or resilient taxa such as Oligochaeta, Hirudinea, Diptera, and Pulmonates (OHDP) taxa; and tolerant taxa such as Prosobranchia, Bivalvia, Lepidoptera, Heteroptera, and Coleoptera (PBLHC). All the 13 macroinvertebrate-based metrics were found to be sensitive in the detection of water quality and human disturbance gradients. However, metrics related to EPTO and the tolerance measure [multimetric index of the Zio River basin (MMIZB), Average Score per Taxon (ASPT), and Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP)] are the most robust in discrimination of pressure gradients. This study reveals that macroinvertebrates are sensitive and can be used for the bioassessment program development at the order, family, or genera taxonomic level.

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“…The above condition suggests that the urban wastewater generated from the community and the industrial developments led to the deterioration of water quality (Sun et al, 2016). There are many other reports showing the WQI and water quality of various surface and groundwater contamination around the world (Ali et al, 2018;Ewaid et al, 2018;Kawo and Karuppannan, 2018;Wu et al, 2018;Chetty and Pillay, 2019). Similar kind of condition prevails in India too, Vasanthavigar et al, (2010) found that the groundwater quality and WQI of the Thirumanimuttar sub-basin was understood by collecting 148 bore and tube well samples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Urbanization Impact on Various Physicochemical Parameters and Developing an Eco-Heart Index

Ramprasad¹,

Sona²,

Ramkumar³

et al. 2020

International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology

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In the present study, the quality of Vaigai River at two distinct places Madurai and Manamadurai were studied. The river water samples from three places in the upstream side and downstream side of each of the sites were collected and used for water quality analysis. The samples were subjected to various physicochemical parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, chlorides, and heavy metals as per the standard procedure. The obtained values were used to prepare the community friendly Eco-heart index. The river water samples at the upstream of Madurai were found to be having concentrations of pH-8.32±0.28, turbidity-32±8 nephelometric turbidity unit and total dissolved solids-1765±55 mg/L (moderately contaminated) compared to downstream side (pH-8.77±0.25, turbidity-107±12 nephelometric turbidity unit and total dissolved solids-2180±95 mg/L (highly contaminated). Similarly, in the Manamadurai site also the concentrations were higher in downstream side (pH-8.94±0.15, turbidity-235±18 nephelometric turbidity unit, total dissolved solids-2755±32 mg/L) than upstream side (pH-8.72±0.23, turbidity-74±22 nephelometric turbidity unit and total dissolved solids-2110±25 mg/L). Similarly, the Eco-Heart index value also shows that there is no proper heart shape at any point, symbolizes that Vaigai River water is unfit to drink in Madurai and Manamadurai. Hence, the results conclude that the river water has to be extensively treated before used for drinking or cooking purpose. The dumping of solid waste and discharge of wastewater in the course of the river body has to be avoided.

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Assessing the influence of human activities on river health: a case for two South African rivers with differing pollutant sources

Cited by 42 publications

References 31 publications

Investigating Industrial Effluent Impact on Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vaal, South Africa

Investigating Industrial Effluent Impact on Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vaal, South Africa

Benthic Macroinvertebrates as Ecological Indicators: Their Sensitivity to the Water Quality and Human Disturbances in a Tropical River

Urbanization Impact on Various Physicochemical Parameters and Developing an Eco-Heart Index

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