Assessment of Sea Water Quality in Some Limestone Island and Archipelagos Areas, Vietnam
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VNU Journal of Science: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 36, No. 1 (2020) 70-78 Original Article Assessment of Sea Water Quality in some Limestone Island and Archipelagos Areas, Vietnam Cao Thi Thu Trang, Do Cong Thung, Le Van Nam, Pham Thi Kha, Nguyen Van Bach, Dinh Hai Ngoc Institute of Marine Environment and Resources, Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, 246 Da Nang Str., Hai Phong, Vietnam Received 31 January 2020 Revised 04 March 2020; Accepted 11 March 2020 Abstract: With nearly 3,000 large and small islands, the islands and archipelagos of Vietnam have outstanding features in terms biodiversity and geology. The islands are mainly formed from carbonate (limestone), intrusive igneous rock, sedimentary and volcanic rocks, in which limestone islands predominate, distributed mainly in the Gulf of Tonkin. This paper presents the results of researches and assessments on sea water quality of Vietnam's typical limestone islands and archipelagoes through the 2017-2018 surveys. The research results show that although the water quality around of limestone and archipelago area of Vietnam is safety for the development of aquatic life, an increase in pollutants concentration in water has been recorded when compared to previous research results. The research results supplement the data set of sea water quality in limestone areas that defining the characteristics of marine biodiversity. Keywords: limestone island, water quality, pollutants. 1. Introduction only 2% of the quantity and 0.83% of area. The South Central Coast and the South Coast have Vietnam has about 2773 coastal islands with the same number of islands (about 7%) but in an area of 1721km2 but they distribute very terms of area, the southern coastal islands are different in the coastal waters. The Northern quite similar to the North, accounting for 40.3% Coast is home to the most islands (2321 islands), of the total area of the islands, and the area of accounting for 83.7% of the total islands and islands in the South Central Coast account for 48.9% of the total area. The number of islands only 10% [1]. in the North Central Coast is at least, account for ________ Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1094/vnuees.4556 70 C.T.T. Trang et al. / VNU Journal of Science: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 36, No. 1 (2020) 70-78 71 The islands are mainly formed from coded KC09-11/16/20, field surveys have been carbonate (limestone), intrusive igneous rock, carried out to assess the water quality sedimentary and volcanic rocks, in which characteristics of the limestone islands. This limestone islands is dominated, distributed paper presents the updated data on mainly in the Gulf of Tonkin. According to Le characteristics of seawater quality of limestone Duc An, (2009) [1], among 5 island regions with islands and archipelagos of Vietnam through 2 13 coastal island groups in Vietnam, there are surveys in 2017 and 2018. only 3 island groups are formed by limestone and other sediments: Bai Tu Long-Ha Long Bay (including Cat Ba) (belong to the island group 2, 2. Methods region I) and Long Chau Island (belong to the Marine investigation methods island group 3, region I), located at the Tonkin Gulf; and Kien Hai island group (Kien Giang) Survey times and locations (belong to the island group 12, region V). The The surface water samples were collected in islands located at central coast (region II and II) two main seasons: rainy season and dry season. and at the southeastern coast (region IV) are The dry season lasts from November to next formed by other sedimentary, volcanic rocks and April in the Northeast island region and from granite, etc. Offshore islands such as the Spratly December to next March in the Kien Luong area. archipelagos are atolls that formed from coral The rainy season lasts from May to October in reefs with time of millions of years. the Northeast island areas and from April to The limestone islands are often coastal November in the Kien Luong area. therefore, islands, therefore, the environment quality is two surveys were conducted, the first survey greatly influenced by inland sources such as took place from December 2017 to January 2018 domestic and tourism, industrial and mining, -representing for dry season, the second one took aquaculture and livestock, etc. These are the place from July to August 2018- representing for main sources of waste generated from the socio- rainy season. Key study areas include: Ha Long economic development activities of the Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay (the sites of Vu Ha, Cong Northeast islands (Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Do, Dau Go, Hon Da Den, Hang Te, Cat Chuong Bay - Cat Ba - Long Chau). In the southern To, Dau Be, Bo Nau, Hang Trai, Bu Xam, Hon limestone islands (Kien Luong - Kien Giang), Tay Hoi and Con Buom), Cat Ba - Long Chau the main activities of tourism, aquaculture and area (Hang Sang, Van Boi, Gio Cung, Cat Dua, livestock are the main waste sources of the area. Long Chau islands) and Kien Luong area (Hon The water quality characteristics of Tre, Hon Re Nho and Hon Da Lua, Hang Tuyen) limestone islands are the basic that defining - Figure 1. A total of 29 seawater samples were species composition and biodiversity of collected during the December 2017 survey and ecosystems. Study of water quality of limestone 43 water samples were collected during the island and archipelago areas of Vietnam has August 2018 survey. been conducted through a number of studies by Do Cong Thung et al (2003, 2005, 2012) [2-4], Sampling and sample preservation Tran Duc Thanh et al (2007, 2010) [5,6], and The method of seawater sampling complied Cao Thi Thu Trang (2004) [7] etc., mainly with TCVN 5998-1995 (ISO 5667-9: 1992) - concentrated in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Water quality -Sampling - Guidance on seawater bay. Within the framework of the national sampling [8]. Preservation of seawater samples project "Study biodiversity of limestone islands complied with TCVN 6663-3:2016 (ISO 5667- and archipelagoes in Vietnamese waters; 3:2012)-Water quality-Sampling-Part 3: propose solutions and using patterns for Preservation and handling of water samples [9]. conservation and sustainable development”, The parameters of water temperature, pH, DO, 72 C.T.T. Trang et al. / VNU Journal of Science: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 36, No. 1 (2020) 70-78 salinity and turbidity were measured directly in suspended solids was determined by filtering situ by the portable meters. Other water quality through filter paper with pore size 1mm, then parameters (BOD5, COD, inorganic dissolved drying and weighing; The oil and grease in the nutrients of nitrogen and phosphorus, total water was determined by colorimetric method suspended solids, oil and grease, heavy metals after extracted with n-hexane; Nutrients: phosphate 3- - (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Hg, As), and organochlorinated (P-PO4 ), nitrite (N-NO2 ), ammonium (NH3 + + pesticides) were collected, fixed and then stored NH4 ), total Nitrogen, total Phosphorus were at 4°C until analysis. For water samples used to determined by colorimetric method; Heavy analysis of inorganic nitrogen and phosphate, the metals in water (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Hg, As) were water was added chloroform (for dissolved determined by ICP-MS equipment (Model nutrients) and H2SO4 1:1 (1ml/1 liter) (for total ELAN DRC-e), the detection limit of method Nitrogen and total phosphorus) and stored at 4°C was 0.01 g/l for each element; Organochlorinated until analysis. pesticides including Lindane, Aldrine, Analytical Methods Dieldrine, Endrine, 4,4’- DDD, 4,4’-DDE, 4,4’- were determined by the gas chromatography Analysis of water quality parameters follows method with Electronic Capture Detector by the published Vietnamese Standards and the (GC/ECD-HP 6890). External calibration was US standard documents [10]. Biochemical used to calculate OCPs compounds concentration oxygen demand (BOD ) was determined by the 5 with standards Lindane, Aldrine, Endrine, difference of dissolved oxygen concentration Dieldrine, 4, 4- DDE, 4, 4- DDD and 4, 4- DDT. (DO) in sample between the first day and the The recovery of the method for individual fifth day (DO was determined by Winkler standard is about 70.6% - 97.8%. The detection method); Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was limit of the method is 0.15 ng/l for Lindane and determined by the Potassium Permanganate 4, 4- DDT and 0.10 ng/l for remaining compounds. (KMnO4) method in alkaline environment; Total Figure 1-a. Sampling points of Northeast island and archipelagos areas. C.T.T. Trang et al. / VNU Journal of Science: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 36, No. 1 (2020) 70-78 73 Figure 1-b. Sampling points of Kien Luong (Kien Giang) area. Data treatment Vietnam in 2017 – 2018 are presented in Table 1 To assess the seawater quality of limestone (December 2017) and Table 2 (August 2018). islands and archipelagos, the National Technical Hydrochemical and water quality characteristics Regulations on Marine water quality QCVN 10- MT: 2015/BTNMT for protection of aquaculture Hydrochemical factors in seawater around of and aquatic life [11] and the QCVN 8- limestone islands and archipelagos MT:2015/BTNMT for surface water quality - Temperature: seawater temperature of were used [12]. In addition, ASEAN criteria [13] limestone islands and archipelagos ranged from was used to assessed water quality parameters 20.4 to 32.5oC, in which the difference in water that are not regulated in National Technical temperature between rainy and dry seasons was Regulation. Besides, using the risk quotient quite clear in the Northern islands and (RQ) for assessment of water quality. The risk archipelagoes.