Global Advanced Research Journal of Agricultural Science (GARJAS) ISSN: 2315-5094
June 2016 Vol. 5(6): pp. 212-223
Copyright © 2016 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

River quality analysis using environmental indicators: a case study in the Cunas river watershed, Peru

María Custodio Villanueva*¹, Fernán Chanamé Zapata¹, Rafael Pantoja Esquivel¹, Ana Huamantinco Araujo²

¹Universidad  Nacional del Centro del Perú, Facultad de Zootecnia.Av. Mariscal Castilla N° 3989-4089, El Tambo, Huancayo, Perú

²Universidad  Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. Av. Venezuela cuadra 34, Lima, Perú

Email: h.saleh@mu.edu.sa

Accepted 18 June, 2016

Abstract

Water pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems, not only by the rapid growth of urban centers, but also for wastewater discharge untreated into rivers. The aim was to analyze the water quality of rivers through environmental indicators. To do this, sampling three sectors defined on the cot river. The pressures exerted by human activities on water quality and biodiversity of benthic macroinvertebrates through the BOD₅ load to provide wastewater were evaluated. The quality of the river water was evaluated through INSF. The results showed strong anthropic pressure on the quality of the river with loads of BOD₅ of 23.70 kg / day from the wastewater from the fish activity, 391.64 kg / day of livestock and 418.48 Kg / day of urban activity. Physical indicators-chemical and bacteriological showed significant differences for conductivity, temperature and total dissolved solids. Four phyla, seven classes, 12 orders and 26 families of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified. It is concluded that discharges of wastewater from livestock and urban activities are significant human pressures on the quality of the river. Physical indicators-chemical and bacteriological quality of certain water, according to sector and time of sampling, are in the range of environmental quality standards. Wealth, abundance and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates, by sector and sampling time showed significant differences.

      Keywords: water quality, benthic macroinvertebrates, biodiversity, environmental indicators.