Identification and Apportionment of Potential Pollution Sources Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques and APCS-MLR Model to Assess Surface Water Quality in Imjin River Watershed, South Korea

Yong-Chul Cho,Hyeonmi Choi,Jong-Kwon Im,Myung-Gu Lee,Sang-Hun Kim

doi:10.3390/w14050793

Yong-Chul Cho, Hyeonmi Choi + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/w14050793

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Journal: Water	Publication Date: Mar 3, 2022
Citations: 13	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: National Institute of Environmental Research

Abstract

Reliable water quality monitoring data, identifying potential pollution sources, and quantifying the corresponding potential pollution source apportionment are essential for future water resource management and pollution control. Here, we collected water quality data from seven monitoring sites to identify spatiotemporal changes in surface water in the Imjin River Watershed (IRW), South Korea, distinguish potential pollution sources, and quantify the source apportionment from 2018–2020. An analysis was performed based on multivariate statistical techniques (MST) and the absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model. Statistically significant groups were created based on spatiotemporally similar physicochemical water quality characteristics and anthropogenic activities: low-pollution (LP) and high-pollution (HP) regions, and dry season (DS) and wet season (WS). There were statistically significant mean differences in water quality parameters between spatial clusters, rather than between temporal clusters. We identified four and three potential factors that could explain 80.75% and 71.99% in the LP and HP regions, respectively. Identification and quantitative evaluation of potential pollution sources using MST and the APCS-MLR model for the IRW may be useful for policymakers to improve the water quality of target watersheds and establish future management policies.

Highlights

Water is essential for human life and agricultural and industrial activities, and is a crucial resource contributing to socio-cultural and economic development [1]
For the BOD, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and TP parameters, as opposed to water temperature (WT) and SS, the fluctuation range was smaller for the tributary (SC-A, Yeongpyeong Stream (YP-A), and Moonsan Stream (MS-A) sites) than for the main stream, which may be attributed to the buffering effect of the main stream mixed with water
At the SC-A site, parameters such as WT, electrical conductivity (EC), BOD, COD, TN, NH3-N, and TP indicated high concentrations; this can be interpreted as meaning that the site was considerably impacted by textile and leather factories around the watershed

Summary

Introduction

Water is essential for human life and agricultural and industrial activities, and is a crucial resource contributing to socio-cultural and economic development [1]. Water quality is a major global issue, as surface water is degraded due to the effects of land-cover changes, higher population density, livestock manure discharge, and point and nonpoint source pollution [2]. Anthropogenic factors influencing surface water can cause surface water quality changes because pollutants are discharged through particular locations (point sources) such as wastewater treatment plants or through surface flows (nonpoint sources) [10]. Agricultural, industrial, and urban activities have altered the quality and quantity of urban sewage [11] and caused a decrease in dissolved oxygen of surface water and runoff and water temperature changes [12], with considerable impacts on aquatic ecosystems (e.g., higher eutrophication and algal production) [13]

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