The Assessment of the Surface Water Quality Using the Water Pollution Index: A Case Study of the Timok River (The Danube River Basin), Serbia

Abstract

The Assessment of the Surface Water Quality Using the Water Pollution Index: A Case Study of the Timok River (The Danube River Basin), Serbia The Timok River (202 km long, 4547 km2 basin area) is located in East Serbia. It is a right tributary of the Danube River and one of the most polluted watercourses in Serbia. On the basis of the data provided by the Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, the paper presents an analysis of water quality and pollution using the combined physico-chemical WPI index (Water Pollution Index) calculated for two periods - 1993-96 and 2006-2009 at four hydrological stations: Zaječar-Gamzigrad (Crni Timok River), Zaječar (Beli Timok River), Rgotina (Borska Reka River) and Čokonjar (Timok River). The following parameters were taken into consideration: dissolved O2, O2 saturation, pH, suspended sediments, Five Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (CODMn), nitrites, nitrates, orthophosphates, ammonium, metals (Cu, Fe, Mn, Hg, Ni, Zn, Cd), sulphates and coliform germs. The average WPI values were calculated for the observed periods based on the comparison of the annual average values of the listed parameters and defined standard values for the I water quality class (according to the Regulation on the Hygienic Acceptability of Potable Water of the Republic of Serbia). The highest pollution degree was recorded in the Borska Reka River, where heavy metal levels (especially manganese and iron) were significantly increased. These metals are indicators of inorganic pollution (primarily caused by copper mining). Also, increased values of the organic pollution indicators (ammonium, coliform germs, Five-Day Biological Oxygen Demand - BOD5) in the Borska Reka and the Timok rivers are the result of uncontrolled domestic wastewater discharge.

Application of multivariate statistical techniques in the water quality assessment of Danube river, Serbia

“…Not surprisingly, Danube River is constantly a subject of various studies. In recent years, the focus is on the water pollution of Danube River Basin (Guien et al 1998, Pawellek et al 2002, Woitke et al 2003, Brankov et al 2012), water quality temporal and spatial trends (Onderka et al 2008) as well as predicting values of water quality parameters (Takic et al 2012).…”

Biochemical and chemical indices of soil transformations on goose farms in years 1996–2011 / Biochemiczne i chemiczne wskaźniki przeobrażeń gleb na terenie ferm gęsi w latach 1998–2011

“…Nitrifi cation, which is the results of enhanced mineralization, is the main cause of the increase of nitrate nitrogen in the soil environment (De Boer et al 1990). Excess of the constituent in soils contributes to advancing degradation of hydrobiological systems in water reservoirs, including contamination of waters possible for utilization as drinking or municipal water (Ligęza 2009, Brankov et al 2012). The concentration of ammonia nitrogen increased signifi cantly together with the passage of time both in soils of the examined farms as well as in soils situated in direct vicinity of these goose farms (control soils).…”

Environmental impact of mining activity in Bor area as indicated by the distribution of heavy metals and bacterial population dynamics in sediment

“…The solution to the problem of water quality and environmental protection lies in the construction of appropriate wastewater treatment plants. The progress in environmental protection and water pollution reduction is the area must be analyzed: in the Bor mining industrial complex the construction of wastewater purification plant was undertaken in 2005; it will enable to separate copper and iron for further processing and to reduce the discharge of untreated water into the Borska Reka River (Brankov et al, 2012).…”