Water quality assessment of a tropical coastal lake system using multivariate cluster, principal component and factor analysis

Abstract

Statistical techniques represent a reliable tool for classifying, modelling and interpreting surface water quality monitoring data, particularly for lakes. The complexity associated with the analysis of a large number of measured variables, however, is a major problem in water quality assessments. Multivariate analysis, such as cluster analysis and factor analysis (FA), was utilized in this study for the analysis of water quality data (including water discharges and 28 water quality parameters) for Akkulam-Veli Lake, a tropical coastal lake system in Kerala, India. This lake is partially divided into two sub-systems, namely Veli Lake and Akkulam Lake. Akkulam Lake exhibits freshwater characteristics, in contrast to Veli Lake, which exhibits saline water characteristics because of its close proximity to the sea. Thus, studying this lake provides insights into water quality variations in both a freshwater and saline water lake in a tropical region. Water quality patterns and variations in Akkulam-Vela Lake over three seasons, including pre-monsoon (PRM), monsoon (MON) and post-monsoon (POM), also were studied, utilizing multivariate techniques. The organic pollution factor played a significant role on lake water quality during PRM. The influence of organic pollution tends to decrease during MON and POM, a particular situation faced by urban lakes in tropical regions. Polluted stretches in a lake system during different seasons can easily be ascertained by hierarchical cluster analysis. Further, the factors affecting a lake system as a whole, as well as for a particular sampling site, can easily be identified by FA. Improved water quality can be observed during POM. Akkulam and Vela lakes exhibit a wide variation in water quality during all seasons, a finding that corroborates a water flow obstruction from Akkulam Lake to Veli Lake because of the bund existing between the two lakes. The location of the bund is identified as the major reason for different hydrochemical processes in A-V Lake.

Chemometric Analysis of Wetlands Remnants of the Former Texcoco Lake: A Multivariate Approach

“…The elements of variation in a waterbody can be discrete or specific depending on the nature of the study site [16]; having a data set that reflects clearly the main trends and sources of pollution or variation of physical, chemical, and biological properties in these environments is crucial.…”

Processos condicionantes de alterações em variáveis limnológicas: uma abordagem estatística na Represa de São Pedro, Juiz de Fora (MG)

“…Abordagens multivariadas, como a análise fatorial (AF) e a análise de componentes principais (ACP), são úteis para extrair informações significativas de grandes quantidades de dados de difícil análise e interpretação, pois promovem a redução do número de variá-veis com o mínimo de perdas das informações (AKBAR; HASSAN; ACHARI, 2011;ANDRADE et al, 2007;AUTIN & EDWARDS, 2010;BABOROWSKI;SIMEONOV;EINAX, 2012;GUEDES et al, 2012;LIAO et al, 2008;MENDONÇA & SOUZA, 2011;FREITAS;SILVA, 2014;ROCHA & COSTA, 2015;SHEELA et al, 2012;SPEZIA;FUTTER;BREWER, 2011).…”

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“…Dentre eles, podem-se citar o aumento de salinidade, alterações de temperatura e contaminação por componentes químicos industriais e agrícolas. O monitoramento da qualidade da água se faz através do acompanhamento periódico dos parâmetros físico-químicos, e fornece subsídios para avaliar as condições do recurso hídrico para tomada de decisões no gerenciamento do corpo d'água (Akbar et al, 2011;Bhattacharyya e Kapil, 2010;Marotta et al, 2008;Rocha et al, 2014;Rocha e Costa, 2015;Sheela et al, 2012 (Minas Gerais, 1996), a BCLM e o córrego Independência são enquadrados na Classe 2, devido à localização de sua foz em trecho do rio Paraibuna, que é enquadrado dessa forma.…”