RBP II (Rapid Bioassessment Protocol II) as a tool to assess the sediment and water quality in a treated textile effluent receiving stream ecosystem.

Abstract

Macrobenthos are important bioindicators of organic and nutrient pollution. The present study used the macrobenthos based rapid bioassessment protocol (RBP II) to study the effects of treated textile effluent input into a natural stream ecosystem. Three reference sites and three sites with point source inputs from a textile effluent treatment plant were selected. The physical and chemical parameters and the abundance and diversity of macrobenthos at each site were assessed during the rainy and dry seasons of 2020. Although the water quality parameters at the point source inputs did not exceed the standard textile effluent discharge limits, a significant difference in the microbenthic community composition was observed at the effluent discharge receiving sites. The dominant macrobenthos in the ecosystem (Baetis sp., Leptophlebia sp and Tubifex sp.) showed significant correlations with Pb, Cu, Cr and Cd concentrations of the water and sediments. The Shannon-Weiner diversity index, family biotic index, EPT Index and EPT/C ratio which are used in rapid bioassessment protocol indicated significantly strong correlations with the water and sediment quality parameters and reflected their suitability to be used as a tool of biological measurements in the textile effluent receiving aquatic ecosystems.