An Ecological Assessment of the Pollution Status of the Danube River Basin in the Galati Region—Romania

Abstract

Physico-chemical parameters and bio-contamination assessment through protozoan cysts and helminths eggs were carried out from the period of June to September 2010 in order to appreciate the pollution of the Danube River Basin in Romania. It recorded a higher tenor in Magnesium ion (60 mg/L) with respect to the calcium ion (20 mg/L). Other ions identified at substantial proportions were iron (1.459 mg/L), manganese (6.583 mg/L), phenol (12.780 mg/L) and Aluminium (0.0441 mg/L). Twenty one ciliated protozoa were identified in our analysis of water in the Danube River. Prominent was the presence of Caenomorpha medusula and Metopus ovatus which are indicators of polysaprobity. Resistant forms of enteropathogenic protozoa were present in our samples. These are Cryptosporidium sp (65 oocysts/l in August), Entamoeba histolytica (22 cysts/L in September), Giardia sp with 30 cysts/L in August. The helminths identified were Ascaris lumbricoides, Clornochis sinensis, Diphyllobothium latum, Enterobius vermicularis, Heterophrys heterophrys, larva of strongiloides stercoralis and Taenia sp. There is a low impact of natural depollution mechanisms which can functionally reduce the impending effect of the communicable diseases that are being transmitted by humans who constantly explore this aquatic medium during their leisure or economic activities.

Share and Cite:

G. Ajeagah, C. Maria, P. Mirela, O. Constantin, M. Palela and G. Bahrim, "An Ecological Assessment of the Pollution Status of the Danube River Basin in the Galati Region—Romania," Journal of Water Resource and Protection, Vol. 5 No. 9, 2013, pp. 876-886. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2013.59089.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] K. Scholl and G. Szovenyi, “Planktonic Rotifer Assemblages of the Danube River at Budapest after the Red Sludge Pollution in Hungary,” Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol. 87, No. 2, 2011, pp. 124-128. doi:10.1007/s00128-011-0331-y
[2] G. Klecka, C. Persoon and R. Currie, “Chemicals of Emerging Concern in the Great Lakes Basin: An Analysis of Environmental Exposures,” Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol. 207, 2010, pp. 1-93.
[3] A. Covaci, A. Gheorghe, H. Orietta and P. Schepens, “Levels and Distribution of Organochlorine Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Sediments and Biota from the Danube Delta, Romania,” Environmental Pollution, Vol. 140, No. 1, 2006, pp. 136-149. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.06.008
[4] S. Keiter, A. Rastall, T. Kosmehl, L. Erdinger, T. Braunbeck and H. Hollert, “Ecotoxicological Assessment of Sediment, Suspended Matter and Waste Samples in the Upper Danube River. A Pilot Study in Search for the Causes for the Decline of Fish Catches,” Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 13, No. 15, 2006, pp. 308-319. doi:10.1065/espr2006.04.300
[5] N. Litvinov, “Water Pollution in the USSR and Other Eastern European Countries,” Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Vol. 26, No. 4, 1962, pp. 439-463.
[6] G. Klaver, B. van Os, P. Negrel and E. Petelet-Giraud, “Influence of Hydropower Dams on the Composition of Suspended and Riverbank Sediments in the Danube,” Environmental Pollution, Vol. 148, No. 3, 2007, pp. 718-728. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2007.01.037
[7] S. M. Sakan, D. S. Dordevc and D. D. Manojlovic, “Trace Elements as Tracers of Environmental Pollution in the Canal Sediments (Alluvial Formation of the Danube River, Serbia),” Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 167, No. 1-4, 2010, pp. 219-233.
[8] R. D. Mazor, A. L. Purcell and V. H. Resh, “Long-Term Variability in Bioassessment: A Twenty Years Study from Two Northern California Streams,” Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 43, No. 11, 2009, pp. 1269-1286. doi:10.1007/s00267-009-9294-8
[9] L. Ritter, K. Solomon, P. Sibley, K. Hall, P. Keen, G. Mattu and B. Linton, “Sources, Pathways and Relative Risks of Contaminants in Surface Water and Groundwater: A Perspective Prepared for the Walkerton Inquiry,” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, Vol. 65, No. 1, 2002, pp. 1-142. doi:10.1080/152873902753338572
[10] D. Jaruskova and I. Liska, “Statistical Analysis of Trends in Organic Pollution and Pollution by Nutrients at Selected Danube River Stations,” Journal of Environmental Monitoring, Vol. 13, No. 5, 2011, pp. 1435-1445. doi:10.1039/c0em00376j
[11] V. Micic and T. Hofmann, “Occurrence and Behaviour of Selected Hydrophilic Alkylphenolic Componds in the Danube River,” Environmental Pollution, Vol. 157, No. 10, 2009, pp. 2757-68. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2009.04.028
[12] A. Ginebreda, W. De Cooman, G. Schuurmann and W. Brack, “A New Risk Assessment Approach for Prioritization of 500 Classical and Emerging Organic Micro Contaminants as Potential River Basin Specific Pollutants under the European Water Framework Directive,” Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 409, No. 11, 2011, pp. 2064-2077. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.01.054
[13] C. Winter, T. Hein, G. Kavka, L. Mach, R. Farnleitner and H. Andreas, “Longitudinal Changes in the Bacterial Community Composition of the Danube River: A Whole-River Approach,” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 73, No. 2, 2007, pp. 421-431. doi:10.1128/AEM.01849-06
[14] P. Porcal, J. K. Koprivnjak, L. A. Molot and P. J. Dillon, “Humic Substances-Part 7: The Biogeochemistry of Organic Carbon and Its Interactions with Climate Chaude,” Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 16, No. 6, 2009, pp. 714-26. doi:10.1007/s11356-009-0176-7
[15] X.-E. Yang, X. Wu, H.-L. Hao and Z.-L. He, “Mechanisms and Assessment of Water Eutrophication,” Journal of Zhejiang University of Science, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2008, pp. 197-209. doi:10.1631/jzus.B0710626
[16] G. Ajeagah, M. Cioroi, M. Praisler, C. Oana, M. Palela, and G. Bahrim, “Bacteriological and Environmental Characterisation of the Water Quality in the Danube River Basin in the Galati Area of Romania,” African Journal of Microbiology Research, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2012, pp. 292-301.
[17] P. C. Von der Ohe, V. Dulio, J. Slobodnik, E. De Deckere, R. Kuhne, R. U. Ebert, S. Jancovic, M. Cureic, T. Radicevic, S. Stefanovic, M. Lenhardt, K. Durgo and B. Antonjevic, “Non Dioxin Like PCBs in Ten Different Fish Species from the Danube River I Serbia,” Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 181, No. 1-4, 2011, pp. 153-163. doi:10.1007/s10661-010-1820-x
[18] V. H. Smith, “Eutrophication of Freshwater and Coastal Marine Ecosystems: A Global Problem,” Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2003, pp. 126-139. doi:10.1065/espr2002.12.142
[19] D. Klaus, S. Gottardo, A. Paya-Perez, P. Whitehouse, H. Wilkinson and J. Zaldivar, “A Model Based Prioritisation Exercise for European Water Framework Directive,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 8, No. 2, 2011, pp. 435-455.
[20] Z. Valova, P. Jurajda, M. Janac, I. Bernardova and H. Hudcova, “Spatiotemporal Trends of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fish of the River Morava (Danube Basin),” Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, Vol. 45, No. 14, 2011, pp. 1892-1899.
[21] S. Jancovic, M. Cureic, T. Radicevic, S. Stefanovic, M. Lenhardt, K. Durgo and B. Antonjevic, “Non Dioxin Like PCBs in Ten Different Fish Species from the Danube River I Serbia,” Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Vol. 181, No. 1-4, 2011, pp. 153-163.

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.