The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 17 No 2 (2013): 224 – 229

 

 

 

COMPARISON BETWEEN WATER QUALITY INDEX (WQI) AND BIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY INDEX (BWQI) FOR WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT: CASE STUDY OF MELANA RIVER, JOHOR

 

(Perbandingan di antara Indeks Kualiti Air (WQI) dan Indeks Kualiti Air Biologi (BWQI) bagi Penilaian Kualiti Air: Kajian Kes Sungai Melana, Johor)

 

Nor Zaiha Arman¹, Mohd. Ismid Mohd. Said², Salmiati¹, Shamila Azman², Muhammad Hazim Mat Hussin²

 

¹Institute of Environmental and Water Resource Management,

²Department of Environmental Engineering,

Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor D.T.

 

*Corresponding author: salmiati@utm.my

 

 

Abstract

A study of water quality in Melana River, Johor was carried out in three consecutive months (March - May 2012). This study aims to determine the comparative results through biological monitoring as well as conventional method (physical and chemical analysis). Assessment is carried out through collection and identification of the biological indicator which comprises of macrobenthos based on Biological Water Quality Index (BWQI). Comparison was done based on two methods namely invertebrate analysis and also laboratory analysis. For invertebrate analysis, Melana River consist of three types of Family groups namely Nymphs, Larvae and Molluscs. The result for Water Quality Index (WQI) and also Biological Water Quality Index (BWQI) analysis showed that the level of Melana River is polluted and classified in Class III. This study shows that even though different methods were used, the similar results were obtained for both rivers and can be applied to any river to identify their level of cleanliness.

 

Keywords:  Melana River, benthic macroinvertebrate, Water Quality Index, Biological Water Quality Index

 

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