Water Quality Monitoring

Abstract

Water quality monitoring is the process of gathering data that describes the physical, chemical, and biological condition of a water body. This chapter presents an overview of the processes involved in water quality monitoring and illustrates some of the approaches used with examples of existing monitoring programs. Over the last century, improved understanding of water quality, combined with advances in measurement and monitoring technology have increased the possibility of measuring hundreds of different variables in surface and groundwaters. However, efficient use of resources for monitoring depends on careful selection of objectives for the water quality monitoring program and on targeting variables and monitoring methods that address those objectives. Recent appreciation of the close link between the physical and chemical condition of a water body and its biological component has led to the incorporation of biological approaches in many large‐scale programs to assess surface water quality. Today, monitoring programs take many forms, from measurement of a few specific variables to establish trends or effectiveness of remediation measures, to sophisticated evaluation of toxic impacts of wastewaters, to relatively simple determination of the state of the aquatic environment using citizen participation. Confidence in all data gathered and its resultant usefulness for management and policy development is essential; this can only be achieved by a careful program of quality assurance that extends from sample collection in the field, to analysis in the laboratory, to data handling and manipulation.

Random repeated cross sectional study on breeding site characterization of Anopheles sinensis larvae in distinct villages of Yongcheng City, People's Republic of China

“…The contents of COD, ammonia nitrogen, sulphate, and chloride in the water obtained from An. sinensis breeding sites were measured in the laboratory of Yongcheng CDC, using standard methods [ 60 ]. Biological factors studied in the present study include predator, algae cover, emergent and floating plants, among others.…”

Geochemical modeling and multivariate statistical evaluation of trace elements in arsenic contaminated groundwater systems of Viterbo Area, (Central Italy)

“…Groundwater resources are generally less susceptible to pollution than surface water and are considered the best supply for drinking water, however in many parts of the world people suffer from poor drinking water quality (Chapman 1992 ; Foster et al 1997 ). The quality of groundwater depends on the composition of recharging water and the mineralogy of the geological formations in the aquifers.…”

Proposed Environmental Risk Management Elements in a Carpathian Valley Basin, within the Roşia Montană European Historical Mining Area

“…Excessive and accelerated sedimentation can affect the respiratory organs of Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera, even of those species resistant to pollution and still existing in Corna Valley. In this situation, the low pH values tend to increase the toxicity of the common pollutants: thus, if 4 mg L −1 of iron does not have a toxic effect at pH 5.5, an amount of only 0.8 mg L −1 of iron at a pH of 4.8 can induce death of fish [ 57 ].…”