Rapid assessment of river water quality in Turkey using benthic macroinvertebrates

A study of the relationship between benthic macro-invertebrates and water quality parameters, such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and dissolved oxygen (DO), in a river in Turkey was carried out in order to assess the ecological impact of polluted water discharge into rivers. Five sampling stations were selected on the river; three of them upstream of an industrial and domestic wastewater discharge and two of them downstream. Seven samplings of water and benthic fauna were carried out at the stations fortnightly between March 2004 and June 2004. The kick sampling method was used in collecting benthic macro-invertebrates. The Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Trent Biotic Index (TBI), and Chandler Score were used to quantify the conditions of the biota at the study sites. The results of water quality parameter tests and the scores obtained from the indices showed similar responses for pollution. Statistical analysis of the data showed a trend toward gradual pollution in the water, and a peak was observed after domestic wastewater discharge. Hence, the results of the study support the hypothesis that the use of macro-invertebrates as indicator in a water body is an ideal methodology for the assessment of the water quality.