The Correlation Assessment of Phytoplankton and Water Quality in Chao Phraya River

Abstract

The study for the correlation of amount of phytoplankton and water quality in Chao Phraya River. Samples were collected from Chao Phraya Dam to Chao Phraya River mouth, 14 stations during August, 2017 to April, 2018. The results showed that the ratio of nutrient concentration in Chao Phraya River that effect the amount of phytoplankton is most 10: 1 which indicate nitrogen is the limiting factor to phytoplankton growth in the river because the N/P ratio lower than optimal nutrient ratio for phytoplankton is 16:1. The changing of amount of Division Bacillariophyta could be used as an indicator to the concentration of nitrate in the river because nitrate was positively correlated to amount of Division Bacillariophyta (r² = 0.916) which statistically significant at 95%. Therefore, these results can be used as monitoring of phytoplankton distribution in raw water resources in the water supply system in order to use as the guidelines solve a contamination problem of nutrient concentration in the water resources correctly and appropriately to reduce the occurrence of eutrophication in the future.