TITLE:
Water Quality Characterisation and Restoration Measures of University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) Lake
AUTHORS:
Doris Ifeoma Ogueri, Mohammed S. Gumsuri
KEYWORDS:
Lake, Water Quality, Nutrient Enrichment, University of Nottingham, Restoration, Drainage, Chlorophyll, Malaysia
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.7 No.4,
March
8,
2016
ABSTRACT:
Nutrient enrichment has been identified as
the major cause of University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) Lake’s water
quality degradation. This study critically examines the nature, source and
delivery of nutrients into the lake and observes that uncontrolled
anthropogenic activities along the catchment area are the major sources. The
chemical analyses of the water samples drawn from different sampling points
were carried out in the laboratory and the total phosphorus readings were in
the range of 20 to 55.7 μg/L with the inflow 1 recording the highest level. The
chlorophyll a concentrations in the lake water were between 39 to 65 μg/L which
exceeded Malaysian water quality standard. However, the silicate and nitrate
levels were found to be in lower concentrations. Dissolved oxygen and pH
readings obtained through in situ measurements in the lake water showed that
there was oxygen depletion in the water during the night while it increased
during the day, also the lake was acidic in the night and became alkaline in
the day. All the findings were integrated to draw realistic restoration goals
for the lake.