Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

Identify the relationship between water quality of Bay Mau lake and zooplanktons
diversity in the water

Abstract
A study on bio-indicator was conducted in Bay Mau lake where is in the central region of
Hanoi. The objectives was to measure water quality of Bay Mau lake and zooplanktons diversity
in the water from April 1st to June 1st to assess the change in the abundance and species of
zooplanktons following by the change in concentration of some parameters in the water such as:
pH, Eh, DO, BOD, COD, NH4+, NO3- and PO43-. Every day, there are 6 domestic sewage
discharging continuously into Bay Mau lake, consequently, over the period, water quality varied
day by day. Results show that Bay Mau lake has been threatened with water pollution. Most of
water quality parameters were very high (NH4+, PO43-, BOD and COD), exceeding the threshold
level of Vietnamese standard TCVN 5942-1995 considerably. And no doubt that this condition
threatened to aquatic lives, in which, zooplanktons also responded significantly to environment
changing. For example, it was observed that in harsh condition, species of Rotatoria were
dominant, in contrast, where water is fresher, some species of Cladocera appeared more
frequently. In this study , based on the 2 month observation, we have set up 4 ranges of
concentration of chemical parameter (or 4 pollution level such as low, moderate, high and very
high polluted level) and some zooplankton species which indicated for each range. These results
are first step of building bio-indicator (zooplankton) for water quality of Bay Mau lake.

Introduction

In recent years, Hanoi is an economic magnet for outsiders. With the development of
population and economic, the capital is facing up with lots of environmental issues. In which,
water quality degradation is one of the most serious problems and it is the need for monitoring
and managing the water quality frequently in order to deal with this. However, up to now, in
Vietnam, water quality were monitored mostly by measuring the concentration of chemical
parameters but not well aware of the importance of environmental impact assessment on aquatic
ecosystem. Chemical analysis is valuable and necessary, but does not provide all the information
required in pollution assessment. It is not the contamination that are concerned, but rather the

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

effects of their concentrations on organisms. Since water pollution is in many instances a

biological phenomenon, it would appear logical that it ought to be measured biologically.
Biological indicators show the degree of ecological imbalance that has been caused and chemical
methods measure the concentration of pollutants responsible. The majority of lake systems of
biological assessment have been devised mainly to deal with conditions arising out of organic
pollution. Chemically the effects to measure all the organic pollution are rather difficult to
monitor. It is not possible to measure all the organic compounds directly and even though the
BOD test provides an insight into their rates of oxygen consumption, this only measures one
component of the complex oxygen balance. Assessment of solids pollution in lakes that receive
continuous sewage can be very damaging mainly due to siltation, which may be considerably
exacerbated by deoxygenation when the solids are organic. One of the difficulties in making the
exact assessment of organic pollution is the lack of any absolute scale of
measurement. Therefore biological studies not only help in a realistic assessment of pollution but
it also assists in other ways. Zooplankton species play an important role in food chain of aquatic
life. They not only have higher life cycle but also consume algae as primary foods. Moreover,
algae are well-known indicators for eutrophicated water. Thus, study on zooplanktons and their
ability to indicate water quality is very realizable and will give us insight into impact of water
pollution on aquatic species. For these purpose, I have set up my project, namely:

“Identify the relationship between water quality of Bay Mau lake and zooplanktons
diversity in the water”

I. Research purpose
• Assess Bay Mau lake water quality by measuring the concentration of some parameters
including to, pH, Eh, DO, BOD, COD, NH4+, NO3- and PO43-

• Identify zooplanktons species, number and diversity in the lake water.

• Identify the relationship between water quality of Bay Mau lake and zooplanktons
diversity in the water.

II. Research objective

Bay Mau lake

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

Bay Mau lake is a big lake in Hanoi with 21 ha in area and 500,00 cubic meter in volume.
The lake is located inside the city and near lots of local buildings, factories and hospitals. Thus,
Bay Mau lake fulfils many functions such as waste treating, rainfall storing, and climate
improving. Furthermore, it is also a famous place for the residents of Hanoi to entertain and do
exercises every day.

III. Research methods

Collected sample position
Sample were collected at the depth of 10 cm
under the water level.
11 samples were collected Collecting
positions are shown in figure 1. In which:
5 samples (1, 2, 4, 5, 6) were collected in
front of sewage gate.
Sampling frequency
Each 11 samples were collected at 8 a.m once every seven days
Analysis methods
Method of measuring chemical parameters
• Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Eh, pH were measured by Horiba

• BOD5 was measured at 20oC in 5 days

• COD was measured by titration with Mohr

• NH4+ was measured by using Nessler method

• NO3- was measured by using UV/VIS

• PO43- was measured by using Oniani method

Method of identifying zooplanktons numbers and species

• Zooplankton samples were collected then filtered by a zooplankton net. Each sample
were enriched by 400 times. Samples were stored in 50cc bottle and preserved by

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

formalin 5%. Zooplanktons species and number were indentified and counted by using
microscope 4x 10x and Bologov count cell.

Data treating methods: All data were treated by Microsoft Excel

IV. Results
I. Result of chemical parameter concentration of Bay Mau lake surface water
Table 1. Surface water quality of Bay Mau lake
o
Unit C mV mg/l
Temperatur
Parameter pH Eh DO BOD5 COD NH4+ NO3- PO43-
e
121,2 3,8 86,0
Average value 28,42 7,71 17,68 5,20 2,16 2,51
0 2 0
<0,0
TCVN A 6-8,5 >6 <4 <10 <10
5
TCVN B 5,5-9 >2 <25 <35 <1 <15
EPA <0,06
TCVN A (5942/1995): Vietnamese standard of surface water quality for the purpose of drinking
TCVN B (5942/1995): Vietnamese standard of surface water quality for the other purpose
EPA: American standard of eutrophication in surface water

In general, as is clearly seen in table 1, over monitoring period (from April to June 2007),
surface water pollution situation in Bay Mau lake is rather serious. There are two most striking
feature of the parameter concentration. Firstly, it is the high concentration level of BOD5, COD,
NH4+ and PO43- and by contrast is the low value of some parameters such as Eh, DO and NO3-.
Furthermore, almost the formers value exceed Vietnamese standard for surface water.
Temperature of water is rather high, approximately 28.42oC, showing the climate in summer. pH
value is at the middle level, just 7.71.
II. The trend in concentration of chemical parameters over 8 monitoring weeks
Table 2. The trend in concentration of chemical parameters over 8 monitoring weeks
Unit oC mV mg/l
Temperatur
Week pH Eh DO BOD5 COD NH4+ NO3- PO43+
e
118,3 4,9
Week 1 21,88 7,96 4,78 75,27 5,59 2,62 1,61
6 1
195,0 3,5
Week 2 28,98 7,78 12,87 97,82 5,18 3,93 1,74
0 0
131,2 4,6
Week 3 28,00 7,66 13,86 41,09 6,00 3,68 1,95
7 6
Week 4 26,89 7,92 104,7 3,7 17,89 59,60 6,65 3,02 1,57

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

0 2
118,4 4,1 106,6
Week 5 30,03 8,02 20,93 4,36 1,01 4,85
5 8 2
2,9 120,7
Week 6 30,27 7,78 89,55 24,45 4,91 1,83 2,88
2 3
102,6 3,7 111,2
Week 7 30,73 7,55 28,76 1,22 0,41 2,60
4 3 7
109,6 2,9
Week 8 30,61 7,05 17,85 75,64 7,67 0,75 2,90
4 8
TCVN A 6-8,5 >6 <4 <10 <0,05 <10
TCVN B 5,5-9 >2 <25 <35 <1 <15
EPA <0.06
Over the period of 8 weeks, of 9 parameters, only temperature has changed slightly
(unless low temperature in week 1), the rest of parameters fluctuated considerably. For example,
the trend of DO value fluctuated, but was still downward over the period. Similarity, although
there is a dramatically increase in NO3- concentration from week 1 to week 2 but next, its value
fall back dramatically to just under 1 mg/l in week 8. In the other hand, BOD concentration
increased slightly in the first seven weeks from roundly 5 mg/l to just below 30 mg/l, thereafter
reduced suddenly and finished the period at under the 20 mg/l level. COD, NH4+, PO43- varied
considerably after 8 weeks.
III. The change in concentration of chemical parameters over each sample position
Table 3. The change in concentration of chemical parameters over each sample position
o
Unit C mV mg/l
Temperatur
Sample pH Eh DO BOD5 COD NH4+ NO3- PO43-
e
112,6 2,4 132,1
1 28,15 7,42 31,05 15,82 0,57 6,50
3 2 0
3,4 102,5
2 28,23 7,56 73,88 25,08 9,44 1,68 4,39
0 0
1,1 112,0
4 27,91 7,37 7,75 21,74 11,68 0,55 5,78
9 0
2,4
5 28,41 7,40 87,14 22,90 86,86 9,58 1,27 4,20
5
152,3 3,8
6 27,68 7,55 18,38 67,50 1,65 3,64 0,98
8 4
135,7 4,8
7 28,59 8,01 16,84 76,00 1,67 2,57 0,99
5 1
147,8 5,0
8 28,79 8,17 17,31 75,50 2,06 2,37 1,01
8 4
9 28,62 7,68 148,8 4,9 14,59 82,00 1,53 2,73 0,97

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

8 5
166,0 4,5
10 28,90 7,91 16,16 62,75 1,35 3,47 0,95
0 1
142,1 4,9
11 29,02 8,00 14,82 65,50 1,32 1,97 0,88
3 1
156,6 4,4
12 28,55 7,74 13,56 86,75 1,44 2,69 1,29
3 0
<0,0
TCVN A 6-8,5 >6 <4 <10 <10
5
TCVN B 5,5-9 >2 <25 <35 <1 <15
<0.0
EPA
6

Table 3 shows the change in concentration of parameters following the direction flow of
drain water that starts at sewage outputs (sample 1, 2, 4, 5) to centre of lake (sample 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12) and finally ends at the output sewage (sample 6). Obviously, there are two major trend.
First trend is upward trend in concentration of NO 3-, DO, Eh, pH. Second trend is downward
trend in concentration of PO43-, NH4+, COD and BOD. This evidence shows that after discharging
to lake from the sewage, waste water effluent was dissolved apart into lake water. At the same
time, the concentration of parameters of waste water fell sharply, an illustration of this is rather
clean water quality at output sewage (sample 6) and no doubt that self-cleansing of Bay Mau
lake is still rather well.

III. The amount and species of zooplankton in Bay Mau lake

1. Species, density and diversity index of zooplanktons in Bay Mau lake
Table 4. The diversity of zooplanktons in Bay Mau lake
Species species/m3 %
Rotatoria 14226 69,71%
Cladocera 281 1,38%
Copepoda 5900 28,91%
Total 20407 100%

Species of zooplanktons:
There are 3 main groups of zooplanktons namely Rotatoria, Cladocera and Copepoda, in
which:
Rotatoria group has 19 species such as: Trichocera capucina, Trichocerea similis,
Trichocerea tigris, Trichocera longisela thuộc họ Trichocercidae, Ploesoma lenticulare,

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

Bipalpus budeoni, Asplanchnopus multiceps, Asplanchnopus sleboldi, Lecane hastata, Lepadella

patella, Brachionus angularis, Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus diversicornis, Brachionus
caudatus, Brachionus urceus, Brachionus quadridentatus, Keratella tropica, Keratella
cochlearis, Filinia longiseta
Cladocera group includes 2 species: Ceriodaphnia rigaudi and Diaphanosoma.
Copepoda group has 3 species: Copepod nauplii, Mesocyclops leuckarti, Thermocyclops
taihokuensis.
As is seen in table 4 and figure 4, the density of zooplankton in Bay Mau lake is
approximately 20407 species/m3. In which, density of Rotatoria species is highest, about 14226
species/m3, accounting for 69,71% of total zooplanktons. Density of species of Copepoda group
is 5900 species/m3 and density of Cladocera species is the lowest diversity, just only accounting
for 1,38% of the total.

Figure 1. Density of individual zooplankton species

Table 5 illustrates the density of individual zooplankton species over the monitoring
period. It is clearly to see that among zoo plankton species, there are 7 dominance namely
Copepod nauplii (5358 species/m3), Asplachnopus sleboldi (4093 species/m3), Asplanchnopus
multiceps (1336 species/m3), Brachionus angularis (2250 species/m3), Brachionus calyciflorus
(2728 species/m3), Brachionus urceus (1751 species/m3) và Keratella tropica (1209 species/m3)

2. The change in density of zooplankton over 8 weeks

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

Density of zooplanktons:
Rotatoria density rose slightly in the first two week, then it rocketed by more than 400%,
hitting its peak at 28015 species/m3 in week 5. In week 6, the density were off its peak and drop
to roundly 13700 species/m3. After that, it increased gradually in week 7 before falling back in
week 8 to 11477 species/m3
The trend of copepod density fluctuated but still upward over the period from 3488
species/m3 in week 1 to 7032 species/m3 in week

Figure 2. The change in density of zooplankton over 8 weeks

The density of Cladocera species, the lowest density, hovered below the 700 species/m3
in the first four week, thereafter dropping to zero and remain the value until the end of period.
To conclude, the trend of zooplanktons density in Bay Mau lake over 8 monitoring weeks
is rather similar to the trend of Rotatoria density.
3. The change in density of zooplanktons in each sample position
The result shows that the diversity of zooplankton at sewage input is about 6 times lower
than those at centre of lake, except those at sample 2. Especially, Cladocera species is hardly
seen at sewage input. Moreover, existence of Copepoda and Rotatoria here is also very rarely.
Only input sewage 6 recorded high zooplankton density as compared to other sewages.
Figure 3. The change in density of zooplanktons in each sample position

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

4. The relationship between water quality of Bay Mau lake and zooplanktons diversity in the
water

Table 7. The relationship between water quality of Bay Mau lake and zooplanktons diversity
Parameter and Very Modera
Unit High Low
species high te
oC Temperature 28,53 29,95 27,86 27,39
pH 7,43 7,60 7,76 8,07
134,4 156,1
mV Eh 59,91 136,68
1 4
DO 2,03 4,05 3,96 5,33
BOD5 27,15 19,94 15,50 14,27
126,0
mg/l

COD 76,91 79,27 61,90

4
NH4+ 12,10 4,32 2,77 1,36
NO3- 0,83 1,02 2,60 4,24
PO43- 6,47 2,06 1,02 0,44
species/m3

Trichocerea
0 28 56 0
similis
Trichocerea tigris 113 84 84 0
Trichocera
0 56 0 0
capucina
Trichocera
0 28 0 0
longisela
Ploesoma
0 56 0 29
lenticulare
Bipalpus budeoni 0 141 28 0
Asplanchnopus 56 2081 1716 1532

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

multiceps
Asplanchnopus
759 5232 6076 4450
sleboldi
Lecane hastate 0 0 56 0
Lepadella patella 0 56 56 0
Brachionus
619 3122 4529 766
angularis
Brachionus
1575 5372 1885 2181
calyciflorus
Brachionus
84 450 84 0
diversicornis
Brachionus
0 0 0 29
caudatus
Brachionus
366 3854 1885 943
urceus
Brachionus
28 0 56 88
quadridentatus
Keratella tropica 647 1491 2447 265
Keratella
506 169 225 766
cochlearis
Filinia longiseta 28 0 0 0
Ceriodaphnia
0 0 56 530
rigaudi
Diaphanosoma 0 0 28 560
Copepod nauplii 1997 6188 8607 4862
Mesocyclops
84 56 450 1355
leuckarti
Thermocyclops
28 56 84 118
taihokuensis
2222 1105
Rotatoria 4782 19183
1 0
Cladocera 0 0 84 1090
Copepoda 2110 6301 9142 6335
2852 1847
Total 6891 28409
2 6
For the purpose of indentifying exactly the relationship between water quality of Bay
Mau lake and zooplanktons diversity in the water, from statistical materials, 4 ranges of
concentration of chemical parameter (or 4 pollution level such as low, moderate, high and very
high polluted level) were set up. (Table 7)

IV. CONCLUSION

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Đỗ Thủy Nguyên Graduate thesis

1. Surface water pollution situation in Bay Mau lake is rather serious. Concentration of
BOD5 (17,68 mg/l), COD (86 mg/l) and NH4+ (5,2 mg/l), PO43- (2,51 mg/l) is very high and
exceed the acceptable level considerably. DO and Eh parameter by contrast recorded a low
value. There is an obviously difference between the pollution level at sewage inputs and the lake
centre. It is the evidence of good self-cleansing ability of Bay Mau lake.
2. There are 24 zooplankton species identified with the density of 2047 species/m 3 over
the monitoring period. Among zooplankton species, 7 species is dominant namely Copepod
nauplii (5358 species/m3), Asplachnopus sleboldi (4093 species/m3), Asplanchnopus multiceps
(1336 species/m3), Brachionus angularis (2250 species/m3), Brachionus calyciflorus (2728
species/m3), Brachionus urceus (1751 species/m3) và Keratella tropica (1209 species/m3). The
amount of Rotatoria species is highest.
3. The relationship between water quality of Bay Mau lake and zooplanktons diversity
were clearly seen in table 8.

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