Investigation of Water Quality Assessment and Ecological Status in the Thamirabarani River Using Diatom Diversity

Abstract

In the present study was investigated the water quality assessment in Thamirabarani river. A total of 44 macrophyts samples and water samples were collected from 22 different locations during the winter (December 2022) and summer (March 2023) seasons. In the presence study total of 135 diatom taxa belongs to 43 genera were recorded. The most abundant genera namely Aulacoseira, Bacillaria, Cocconeis, Cymbella, Cyclotella, Diadesmis, Discostella, Gomphonema, Navicula, Nitzschia, Staurosirella, Seminavis, Tryblionella and Ulnaria were recorded. The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index was used to calculate the water quality and OMNIDIA's software version 6.1 were used for biological diatom index (IBD). The lowest to highest biological diatom index values of 6.6 to 12.5 and water quality index values of 37 to 61 were recorded during winter and summer seasons. Based on the IBD and WQI analysis values result reveal the Oligotrophic, mesotrophic and eutrophic water quality condition during winter and summer seasons in the study area.