Physico-chemical characteristics of water in Carbuna Village of the Republic of Moldova: Developing a water quality Index for water resource management
Abstract
Groundwater plays an important role for social and economic development in the community of Carbuna Village, Laloveni situated 6 miles from Chisinau, the capital of the Republic of Moldova. In Carbuna, domestic water sources are mostly produced from old dug wells built manually and without any technical direction. Previous research carried out in the Republic of Moldova has reported the presence of high levels of Nitrate-Nitrogen in the water resource, which often exceed the maximum level allowed (50 mg / L) by the Republic of Moldova national legislation. This preliminary study aims to assess the chemical water quality index (WQI) for groundwater of Carbuna community. This has been determined by investigating physico-chemical characteristics of water samples from more than a dozen of dug wells, 1 functional spring, 2 artisanal deep well water from the tap and 1 lake. Via the use of CHEMetrics chemical test kits to determine water quality in conjunction with In Situ water quality testing equipment, was utilized to determine the physical characteristics of the said water samples. To calculate the current state of water quality through statistical evaluation and the water quality index, the following 19 parameters have been considered: pH, color, total dissolved solids, temperature, electrical conductivity, salinity, total alkalinity, oxygen, silica, iron, sulfate, manganese, chloride, total chlorine, inorganic phosphate, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and chromate. Where the results are included in the comparison with the EPA standard drinking water specification and WHO recommended value for the water quality parameters. However, the analysis determines that the results of Nitrate-Nitrogen in water are high and consistently showed the exceeding national standard; which is 400% above of maximum levels allowed by EPA. In addition, the presence of TDS was detected above the permitted levels. Looking at the analysis together with the land use, it is evident that their anthropogenic actions such as a poor investment in infrastructure of sources, few hygienic measures, as well as the extensive use of pesticides in nearby farms influence the water quality.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMGH23B1249C
- Keywords:
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- 0240 Public health;
- GEOHEALTH;
- 1831 Groundwater quality;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1847 Modeling;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1880 Water management;
- HYDROLOGY