TY - JOUR
T1 - Physicochemical and Microbiological Water Quality of Lake Sagara in Malagarasi Wetlands
AU - , Godliving, Y.S. Mtui AU - , Yoshitoshi Nakamura
JO - Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
VL - 1
IS - 2
SP - 174
EP - 180
PY - 2006
DA - 2001/08/19
SN - 1816-949x
DO - jeasci.2006.174.180
UR - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=jeasci.2006.174.180
KW - Organic pollutants
KW -lake water
KW -water quality
KW -wetland ecosystem
AB - The physicochemical and microbiological water quality parameters of Lake Sagara in the Malagarasi ecosystem, Tanzania, were studied between September 2003 and January 2004. Standard methods of analysis were used to elucidate the levels of the main water quality parameters. The Lake was found to be shallow (maximum depth 6.5 m) with encroaching hydrophytes and floodplain grasslands. High turbidity values ranging from 20-126.5 NTU recorded in the studied sites was attributed to vigorous wind mixing of the Lake water. The temperature, pH and chlorides values were 24.4-27.0ºC, 6.8-8.8, 7.9-17.4 mg L-1), respectively. These values are within the standard water quality requirements. The values of conductivity (89-212 ìs/cm), phosphates (1.0-4.5 mg L-1), organic nitrogen (0.8-2.2 mg L-1); abundant sediments and algal blooms suggest that Lake Sagara is eutrophic. Values of dissolved oxygen (6.2-7.3 mg L-1), COD (22.1-42.6 mg L-1) and BOD (3.8-7.1 mg L-1) show that so far, the levels of oxygen-demanding wastes in Lake Sagara can still sustain aquatic life. The high counts of enteric pathogenic microorganisms including fecal coiliform (10-66 MPN/100m), Vibrio sp. (2-6 CFU mL-1) and Salmonella sp. (1-4 CFU mL-1) as a result of surface runoff and direct contamination depict poor hygienic practices by the local fishermen and the surrounding communities. This work provides the first ever scientific research on the microbiological status of Malagarasi-Muyovozi wetland ecosystem.
ER -