Abstract
The aim of the present study was to determine the environmental characteristics and water quality of a drainage basin impacted by human activities in order to obtain quantitative information for helping the development of environmental management politics of soils, lakes, rivers and water resources. Physicochemical properties and concentrations of metals were determined in different water samples. Dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, color, ammonia, phosphorus, phenol, copper, silver, lead, cadmium and iron differed from levels considered acceptable by international regulations, indicating potential environmental pollution due to land occupation and the improper disposal of domestic, industrial and agricultural waste. The leaching of pollutants from the soil to bodies of water was also found. Total dissolved solids, salinity, suspended solids, nitrate, nitrite and zinc levels were lower than the limits imposed by international regulations, but have been increasing over time. Urbanization, industrialization and agricultural processes in drainage basins significantly affect the natural characteristics of the environment, leading to an increase in the concentrations of pollutants and a reduction in the quality of water, plants and soils. As pollutants in drainage basins generally enter into soils, rivers, lakes and ocean, it is necessary to obtain quantitative information about the human impacts in the water quality for developing environmental management politics aiming to preserve the water resources.
Highlights
The water crisis of the 21st century is the result of the improper management of resources (Rogers et al, 2006; Wang et al, 2016) and is associated with both water bioavailability and high demand
The aim of the present study was to determine the environmental characteristics and water quality of a drainage basin impacted by human activities in order to obtain quantitative information for helping the development of environmental management politics of soils, lakes, rivers and water resources
The ammonia concentrations in water samples collected from points P7, P26, P27, P29, P30, P33, P41, P54, P55, P45, P46, P47, P48, P49 and P50 were higher than those considered acceptable by international regulations
Summary
The water crisis of the 21st century is the result of the improper management of resources (Rogers et al, 2006; Wang et al, 2016) and is associated with both water bioavailability and high demand. The improper disposal of domestic waste in water and soil has significantly contributed to the increase in the environmental pollution of drainage basins in urban areas due to the presence of inorganic and organic compounds and the bioaccumulation of these compounds in the natural environment (Mauad et al, 2015). Urban anthropogenic activities alter the water quality of drainage basins due to the influence on the biogeochemical mechanisms of the natural system (Machado et al, 2009; Al-Naimi et al, 2015). The essential parameters for establishing water quality are pH, dissolved oxygen and organic matter (Netto et al, 2013). The decomposition of organic matter in bodies of water can lead to a significant reduction in dissolved oxygen and pH due to the formation of carbonic acid (Chai et al, 2015)
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