Some Indicators of Water Quality of the Tamiš River Ci&Ceq 17 (1) 107−115 (2011)
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Available on line at Association of the Chemical Engineers AChE www.ache.org.rs/CICEQ Chemical Industry & Chemical Engineering Quarterly 17 (1) 107−115 (2011) CI&CEQ NADA BABOVIĆ SOME INDICATORS OF WATER QUALITY OF DEJAN MARKOVIĆ THE TAMIŠ RIVER VOJKAN DIMITRIJEVIĆ DRAGAN MARKOVIĆ This paper shows the results obtained in field analysis performed at the Tamiš River, starting from the settlement Jaša Tomić (the border between Serbia and Faculty of Applied Ecology - Romania) to Pančevo (the confluence of Tamiš into the Danube). The Tamiš is „Futura“, Singidunum University, a 359 km long river rising in the southern Carpathian Mountains. It flows Belgrade, Serbia through the Banat region and flows into the Danube near Pančevo. Over the SCIENTIFIC PAPER years, the water quality of the river has severely deteriorated and badly affected the environment and the river ecosystem. In situ measurements en- UDC 628.1(282)(497.113) abled determination of physico-chemical parameters of water quality of the Tamiš River at every 400 m of the watercourse, such as: water temperature, DOI 10.2298/CICEQ100712060B pH value, electrical conductivity, contents of dissolved oxygen and oxygen saturation. The main reason of higher pollution of Tamiš is seen in connection to DTD hydro system. Sampling was performed at 7 points with regard to color, turbidity, total hardness, alkalinity, concentration of ammonium nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, iron, chlorides and sulphates in samples. The aim of the present work was to evaluate water quality in the Tamiš River taking into account significant pollution, which originates from settlements, industry and agriculture, and to suggest appropriate preventive measures to further de- crease the pollution of the river's water. Key words: water quality; Tamiš River; physico-chemical parameters; pollution; DTD canal; anthropogenic activities. The surface water chemistry of a river at any livestock farms near the communes Sag, Peciu Nou, point reflects several major influences, including the Padureni, Parta and town Ciacova [9]. The Tamiš Ri- lithology of the basin, atmospheric inputs, climatic ver flows through the Banat region and flows into the conditions, and anthropogenic inputs [1,2]. Human Danube near Pančevo, in northern Serbia. It plays an activity affects river systems in numerous ways, for important role in the cultural landscape, for example example, through afforestation or deforestation, urba- for transportation, recreation and tourism. Previous nization, agricultural development, land drainage, pol- measurements of water quality in Vojvodina have in- lutant discharge, and flow regulation [3-7]. Increasing dicated general conclusion that majority of pollutants water pollution causes not only the deterioration of reach water through runoffs from agricultural land and water quality, but also threatens human health and from industrial and public sewage systems located the balance of aquatic ecosystems, economic deve- along the watercourse and canals [10-12]. Based on lopment and social prosperity [8]. data from the Republic Hydrometeorological Service The Tamiš River is one of the most important of Serbia for the period 2001-2006, Veljković et al. rivers in the western part of Romania, with many tri- [11] reported about the analysis of water quality in Ta- butaries which influence water quality and quantity. miš, applying the Water Quality Index (WQI) method Pollution of the Tamiš River in the territory of Ro- in the Jaša Tomić profile, the most upstream water mania is due to discharges of sewage near the city measuring point of the Serbian flow of the river Ta- Caransebeş, industrial waste near the cities Caran- miš, in the Botoš profile and in the Pančevo profile, sebeş and Lugoj and discharges of animal waste by before the confluence into the Danube. As for the Ja- ša Tomić profile, water quality in Tamiš was 84 WQI Correspondening author: N. Babović, Singidunum University, Fa- in 2001 (very good), while in 2006 it was 83 WQI culty of Applied Ecology – „Futura“, Maršala Tolbuhina 13-15, (good). Downstream profile Botoš recorded quite low 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. quality: in 2001 it was 72 WQI (good), while in 2006 it E-mail: [email protected] Paper received: 12 July, 2010 was 69 WQI (bad) with the lowest quality of 63 WQI Paper revised: 20 October, 2010 (bad) in 2003. In the most downstream point of Pan- Paper accepted: 21 October, 2010 107 N. BABOVIĆ et al.: SOME INDICATORS OF WATER QUALITY OF THE TAMIŠ RIVER CI&CEQ 17 (1) 107−115 (2011) čevo, the quality ranges between 74 WQI (2001), 75 the Danube near Pančevo (Figure 1). Its total length, WQI (2002) and 73 WQI (2004), all in the category from the spring to the confluence is 359 km, out of “good”, and 71 WQI (2003), 66 WQI (2005 and 2006) which 241 km belongs to Romania and 118 km to all in category “bad” [11]. Pajević et al. [13] reported Serbia. The Tamiš River in Serbia passes through 15 that the rivers which flow into the Danube from its settlements (Jaša Tomić, Boka, Sečanj, Neuzina, Bo- entering point in Serbia (the Tisza, the Sava, the Mo- toš, Tomaševac, Orlovat, Idvor, Farkaždin, Sakule, rava, and the Tamiš) significantly influence the chemi- Opovo, Sefkerin, Glogonj, Jabuka and Pančevo). cal load (Fe, Mn, Cu and Cd) of water and sediment. Downstream from the mouth of the Tamiš River, high- er concentrations of researched metals were regis- tered in the Danube sediment [13]. Eutrophication is the main problem threatening the biodiversity and the economic potential of the riverine ecosystems, the Danube delta and the Black Sea. There is consider- able uncertainty about the emissions of nutrients to the Danube River system from different sources and different countries [14,15]. Much more detailed stu- dies are needed to develop a reasonably good under- standing of the contribution from Serbia to the emis- sions of nutrients to the Danube River system. Some of pollution sources in the Tamiš watershed are hyd- ro-technical water supply facilities of the hydro-sys- tem Danube-Tisza-Danube (DTD), numerous fish ponds, industrial facilities, agricultural husbandries, farms and urban settlements. They pollute water in the Tamiš, but they also pollute the surrounding soil. Pollution stemming from fertilizer plants can cause contamination of surrounding air and waterways. The present study aims to evaluate water quality in the Tamiš River, taking into account the significant pollution generated in settlements, industry and agriculture. In order to identify potential pollution sour- ces in the Tamiš watershed, a preliminary field survey Figure 1. Location of sampling points. was applied along the sides of both banks of the Tamiš River. This was followed by in situ measure- Before field examinations of physico-chemical ments of temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, con- parameters of the Tamiš water, a field survey was tents of dissolved oxygen and oxygen saturation at performed along both banks of the river, in order to every 400 m of the watercourse. Also, 7 locations were identify potential pollution sources in Potamišje re- selected for additional analyses of most important gion. Among potential pollution sources we found an- physico-chemical parameters of water quality of the thropogenic facilities such as chemical industry for Tamiš. This is the first comprehensive study relating production of soaps and detergents - Panonija in Pan- the observed water quality with pollution sources ge- čevo, food processing industry (dairy plants) in Sa- nerated within the Potamišje region. As far as we kule, extraction of clay and bricks production in Orlo- know, so far there have not been any in situ measu- vat and Sečanj, oil field in Boka, intensive fishery rements in the Tamiš water which would include pH facilities (fish ponds) in Sečanj, Neuzina, Orlovat, Sa- measurements, contents of dissolved oxygen and ele- kule, hydro-technical water supply facilities of the hyd- ctrical conductivity for the whole watercourse of the ro-system Danube-Tisza-Danube (DTD): Botoš Lock, Tamiš through Serbia. Tomaševac Lock, Opovo Lock and Pančevo Lock, slaughterhouses and swine farms in Sečanj and Far- EXPERIMENTAL každin, inflow of melioration canals into the Tamiš Ri- ver near the Jaša Tomić, Sakule, Sefkerin, Glogonj, The study area Jabuka and Pančevo, discharges of sewage and The Tamiš wells in northern parts of Romanian number of septic tanks near the Jaša Tomić, Sečanj, Carpathians, flows through Banat and finally reaches 108 N. BABOVIĆ et al.: SOME INDICATORS OF WATER QUALITY OF THE TAMIŠ RIVER CI&CEQ 17 (1) 107−115 (2011) Boka, Idvor and Opovo, disposal of industrial and do- oxygen saturation. In addition to these data, color, tur- mestic waste in dumpsites near the Jabuka and Pan- bidity, total hardness, alkalinity, concentration of am- čevo. The use of pesticides and mineral fertilizers in monium nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, arable land result in partial absorption of those sub- iron, chloride and sulphate were measured at 7 points. stances by plants, while the remaining part is dis- The measurements were conducted in the period be- solved in water under the influence of atmospheric tween 26 August and 2 September, 2009. The follow- rainfall and certain physico-chemical processes, passes ing equipment and instruments were used for field through soil in runoffs, reaches ground water or me- analysis: air temperature and pH were measured with lioration canals which flow into the river course as re- a LaMotte pH 5 Series Meter