Water Quality Assessment Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates In Saigon River and Its Tributaries, Vietnam

Abstract

This study to enhance the discussion about the usefulness of benthic macroinvertebrates for water quality assessment in Saigon River and its tributaries. Data from 16 sites were used as a representative example for Saigon River and its tributaries in the area of basin over 4,500 km2, the length through provinces of Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City of about 280 km. The data covered the period of dry and rainy seasons in 2015, the survey sampled 16 sites (32 events) of the Saigon River and its tributaries selected. To implement this evaluation, the analyses were based on MRC methods and classifications these improved by the scientific group. The analysis of general characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates and bio-indices were used to examine the spatial patterns of water quality and biological groups. The value of good water quality was recorded in the sites far from industrial parks, crowded citizen areas, big cities (SG1 and SG2) while the sites in near urban Ho Chi Minh City and Thu Dau Mot Town or industrial areas (the section of Saigon River from SG6 to SG13) where had the value of worse water quality because of the more human activities. Especially, there was not any animal that was collected in the site SG7 because of too heavy pollution. The results demonstrated that these organisms could be applied to describe the ecological health in the Saigon River and its tributaries.