Determinaton of Surface Water Quality in the Lumbardh Stream, Prizren, Kosovo – COVID-19 Lockdown Effects on Stream Water Quality
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Food Science and Biotechnology, Agriculture and Environmental Engineering, University of Business and Technology, Pristina, Kosovo
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Cengiz Cesko
Food Science and Biotechnology, Agriculture and Environmental Engineering, University of Business and Technology, Pristina, Kosovo
Ecol. Eng. Environ. Technol. 2022; 6:89-98
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ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has had enormous effects on human life and the environment globally. Despite the negative effects of the epidemic on human health, the pandemic has improved the quality of the environment, thus creating an opportunity to restore degraded ecosystems. This study presents the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the water quality and chemical properties of the Lumbardh Stream, which is a very important stream for the city of Prizren, Kosovo. Lumbardh Stream, where industrialization is high in Prizren and industrial wastes are dumped, flows into the White Drin river, which is important for river fishing and agricultural irrigation for both Kosovo and Albania. Therefore, water samples were taken every month in 2020-2021 from the riverbed in the Vlashnje region of Prizren. EC, pH, TDS and Tur were measured in situ in the water samples taken. Major ions, heavy metals, DO, BOD, COD, TSS and TOC amounts were analyzed in the laboratory. The results are evaluated according to "Quality criteria according to the classes of intracontinental surface water resources in terms of general chemical and physicochemical parameters"; It has been determined that the water source has Class I in terms of DO, EC and NO3--N, Class II in terms of COD, Class III in terms of BOD, total P, PO43- and NH4+-N. When comparing the pre-lockdown and lockdown period, DO and TOC level increased 1.1 and 1.1 times, BOD, COD and NH4+-N decreased 1.2, 1.9 and 1.5 times at lockdown period, respectively. Comparing lockdown and no-lockdown period, DO and TOC increased 1.16 and 3.68 times, BOD, COD and NH4+-N decreased 1.1, 3.5 and 1.6 times at lockdown period, respectively. The results obtained showed quality water improvement during the lockdown period. This study confirms that significant recovery of degraded aquatic ecosystems is possible by limiting human activities.