Article info.

ABSTRACT

Received 14 Nov 2016
Revised 04 May 2017

Accepted 30 Mar 2018

This study is aimed to evaluate the water quality in the Saigon River by using biological indices based on benthic diatom communities as indicators together with physic-chemical parameters. The samples were taken in dry and wet season at seven stations along the Saigon River. Physicochemical variables and benthic diatom metrics of abundance, taxa richness, Shannon Wiener diversity index, average tolerance score per taxon scores, Simpson's diversity index, and similarity index were used in the determination of water quality of the river. The results indicated that benthic diatom metrics and the concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphate, chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand after 5 days characterized that the downstream of the Saigon River had lower water quality than the upstream. Shannon–Wiener diversity index indicated that water quality differed significantly between the upper course sites and the lower course sites but no significant difference was found in dry and wet season. The results demonstrated that the benthic diatom composition was more sensitive and accurate than the routine investigation of water physico-chemical parameters. Therefore, it is important to use diatoms together with water physico-chemical variables for surface water quality assessment.

Keywords

Benthic diatoms, bio-indicator, eutrophication, Saigon River, water quality

Cited as: Luu, P.T. and Duc, N.T., 2018. Using benthic diatoms as bio-indicators of water quality of the Saigon River, Vietnam. Can Tho University Journal of Science. 54(2): 106-111.