Water Quality and Lead Content Analysis of Boac River, Marinduque

Abstract

This descriptive study deals with the current status of the physico-chemical properties, productivity and sediment analysis of Boac River. This study was conducted in two selected stations, station 1 (upstream, near Barangay Binunga) and station 2 (downstream, near Barangay Lupac). Results of physico-chemical analysis revealed temperature to be 23.67˚C - 25 ˚C, pH, 7.66 – 8.81; alkalinity, 0 – 0.0004 mg/L; conductivity, 0 – 0.33 uS; turbidity 0 – 3.81 FTU; current speed, 1.41 – 8.31 m/s; current magnitude, 2.7 – 11.9 g; dissolved oxygen, 3.2 – 6.2 mg/L; free carbon dioxide, 2.33 – 6 ppm and biochemical oxygen demand, 0/32 – 2/7 mg/L. Data from light and dark bottle method resulted in respiration values of -9.08 – 10.34 G-cal/m2 surface; gross primary productivity, - 11.65 – 11.17 G-cal/m2 surface; net primary productivity, -6.19 – 8.69 G-cal/m2 surface. Lead concentration in water samples were below detectable levels while the amount of lead in sediment samples measured from 0.32 – 2.92 ug/g. Values from physico-chemical analyses and measurement of productivity fell within the normal range (Chapman, 1996) for freshwater ecosystems while the amount of lead in water and sediments were below toxic levels.