Abstract

SAMBONI RUIZ, Natalia Eugenia; CARVAJAL ESCOBAR, Yesid  and  ESCOBAR, Juan Carlos. A review of physical-chemical parameters as water quality and contamination indicators. Ing. Investig. [online]. 2007, vol.27, n.3, pp.172-181. ISSN 0120-5609.

More environmental agencies, universities and institutes are turning to the water quality and contamination index to facilitate interpreting physical, chemical and biological data, thereby leading to evaluating resource by means of a mathematical expression representing all evaluated parameters. Constructing and applying any indicator is specific for each region or individual source; however, its construction basically consists of three fundamental steps: selecting variables, determining subscripts for each parameter and choosing the formula for adding it. The variables considered in this process are: pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen form, phosphates and total solids (TS). Their use cannot thus be generalised since subjective judgements would thus be made; also, a system’s dynamics could not be evaluated using a single indicator, which is why studying each variable individually is also important. This article presents a review of the literature regarding water quality and contamination indexes used in some American and European countries and their design and interpretation based on physical and chemical parameters for evaluating them.

Keywords : water quality index; water contamination index.

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