Lucrări Științifice vol. 55 , Supliment 2012, seria Agronomie [630103]

Lucrări Științifice – vol. 55 , Supliment /2012, seria Agronomie

87

PRELIMINARY ASPECTS REGARDING SOME PHYSICO -CHEMICAL,
CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WATER IN THE
ȘOROGARI CREEK

Anișoara STRATU1, Bodgan Codrin ȘURUBARU 1, Diana CAPMARE1, Mihai COSTICĂ1

Email : [anonimizat]

Abstract

This paper aims at underlying some physico -chemical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the water in the
Șorogari creek in the in the sector Vânători locality – Podul de Fier – Iași. Field observations and physical – chemical
(pH, conductivity, the total content of solid substances dissolved – TDS) and chemical analysis (sulphates, nitrites) of
water samples were performed; the species of algae were identified. The results obtained emphasize specific va lues of
the analyzed indicators (pH, conductivity, TDS) according to the interval of time and the station of water sampling. The
pH was slightly alkaline . The water samplings taken from station five (Vânători locality) are noticeable for higher
values of the conductivity and TDS during the whole period taken into study. The species of algae identified in the
water samples belong to the groups Cyanophyta , Bacillariophyta; Euglenophyta, Chlorophyta , Xantophyta . The results
of physico -chemical and chemical analysis and the species of algae identified indicate the existence of some human
influence on the creek water in the studied sector.

Key words : physical / chemical indicators, algal taxons, Șorogari c reek

1 Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Iași The stream Sorogari (called also Cacaina) is
a tributary on the left side of Bahlui river. The
stream Sorogari has a length of 21 km and a
surface of the basin of 63 km² (Buza M., et al.,
2008; Minea I., 2009; www.isujis.ro). The
geographical co ordinates of the stream are: 47o09`
latitude North and 27o36` longitude East (Buza M.,
et al., 2008 ). It streams from a swamp area located
very near the intersection between the rivers
Bahlui and Jijia. It flows into Bahlui river on the
territory of Iasi (Minea I., 2009 ). In the city of Iasi,
from the area Podul de Fier ( street C.A. Rosetti)
and until its flowing into Bahlui, the course of the
stream is channelled underground.
In the period 1980 -1983, there were
executed and set into function two non -permanent
lakes of accumulation (Carlig and Vanatori), for
the protection against the floods in the
neighbourhoods Tudor Vladimirescu and C.A.
Rosetti (www.rowater.ro/daprut). In a report
recently written (www.ipa.ro ∕) there are also
mentioned three lakes of accumulation in the basin
of the stream, located on the territory of the
commune Popricani: the lake Livada I, Livada II
and Vechiuleasa. They are arranged for fish
growing. This paper aims at underly ing some
physico -chemical, chemical, and biological
characteristics of the water in the Șorogari stream
in the sector Vânători locality – Podul de Fier –
Iași
The physical -chemical and chemical
characteristics of the courses of water (rivers and
tributari es) vary according to the mineralogical
composition of the rocks in the areas they cross,
the regime of precipitations, temperature, seasonal
variation of the flow, the level of underground
water, etc. Among the organisms living in the
water, the algae wer e used by many authors as bio –
indicators to estimate the quality of the rivers
(O’Farell I., et al., 2002; Kalyoncu H., et al., 2009;
Barinova S., et al., 2010; Rishi V., Awasthi A. K.
(2012 ). According to the Water Frame Directive 60
∕2000 ∕ EC (http //:www.mmediu.ro), the algae
represent one of the biological elements used to
estimate the ecological state of the surface of the
water bodies.
The basin of the stream Sorogari
represented the obje ct of the study of
geomorphologic nature (Niculiță I., 2009). Brief
data of physical -chemical nature regarding the
stream S orogari near the city Iasi are presented by
Romanescu Gh . et al., 2005.

Universitatea de Științe Agricole și Medicină Veterinară Iași

88 MATERI AL AND MET HOD

Determinations have been done on water
samples, periodically taken in April 2012 (noted:
sampling 1 – date 13 April; sampling 2 – 27 April),
May 201 2 (noted: sampling 3 – 11 May) and June
2012 (noted: sampling 4 – 11 June) . Water
samples were taken from f ive different areas
(measurement station s) located on the course of
the Sorogari stream : station 1 – Podul de Fier
(Iasi) ; stations 2 and 3 – the area of input of the
stream in the city (before – 3 – and after -2 – a
drainage channel of pluvial water and wastewater
in the vecinity of human dwel lings ); station 4 –
Cârlig bridge , station 5 – locality Vânători.
The following physical and physical –
chemical parameters were considered in the study:
temperature, pH, conductivity (determinated with a
multi -parameter of type Consort C532 ), the total
content of solid substances dissolved – TDS
(determined with a TDS -meter). Qualitative
determinations were d one for sulphates and nitrites
(Ghimicescu G., Hâncu I., 1979 ). There were
identified the species of algae in the samples of
water taken in the sector a nalysed. For the
identification of the species, there were done
microscopic observations by means of an Olimpus
microscope. The water samples were examined in
fresh and preserved condition in formalin 4%. The
determinations were done using the determinator s
published by Hindak F.,(1977 ), John D. M., et al.,
(2002). Also, field observations were done.

RESULTS AND DISCU SSIONS

Temperatur e (tab. 1). It was determined for
the samples 3 and 4. There were recorded values
between 23 0 C – 28 0 C for sample 3 an d between
26 0 C – 32 0 C for sample 4. For both samples, the highest values were recorded for the water samples
taken from the stations 4 and 5. The water
temperature is influenced by the solar radiation, the
air temperature and the hydrological character istics
of the river (water volume, flow speed,
concentration of salts, etc.) (Pantazică M., 1974).
PH (tab. 1). It is an important indicator of
water quality and influences the development of
the activity of hydrobionts. During the
investigations, the pH r ecorded values within the
range 8.3 and 8.85 (slightly alkaline). In most
cases, the pH presented values between 8.5 and
8.85. M ălăcea I., (1969) shows the fact that the
biological productivity of waters is assured at pH
with values between 6.5 and 8.5. Ac cording to the
Normative regarding the classification of the
quality of the surface waters in order to establish
the ecological state of the water bodies ( 2006 ), the
pH of the river water must be between 6.5 – 8.5.
Conductivity and TDS of the water
samples (tab. 1) varies in a similar way, according
to the station where the samples were taken, and
the moment of sampling . Conductivity presented
values between 1010 µS/cm – 1650 µS/cm. The
water samples taken from station 5 , comparing
with the water samples fr om the stations 1 – 4,
presented high turbidity and slightly higher values
of conductivity and TDS during the period studied .
In that area, the river bed has a wider width ; the
depth is very low ; the flow speed is low; the
deposit of river deposits (repres ented by solid
materials, still from erosion, from the
decomposition of plant remains, from products of
des-assimilation of water organisms) is more
active.

Table 1
Indicatori fizici și fizico -chimici
Station Indicators Sampling 1 Sampling 2 Sampling 3 Sampling 4
Station 1 Temperature (0C) – – 26 27
pH 8.4 8.75 8.5 8.3
TDS (ppm) 1130 977 1020 750
Conductivity (μS/cm 1150 1170 1210 1185
Station 2 Temperature (0C) 24 26
pH 8.49 8.72 8.57 8.45
TDS (ppm) 1100 960 884 1920
Conductivity (μS/cm 1010 1130 1110 1785
Station 3 Temperature (0C) – – 23 28
pH 8.5 8.73 8.56 8.41
TDS (ppm) 1150 977 948 680
Conductivity (μS/cm 1150 1150 1160 1033
Station 4 Temperature (0C) – – 28 31
pH 8.58 8.71 8.84 8.63
TDS (ppm) 1250 976 1110 900
Conductivity (μS/cm 1060 1180 1300 1365
Station 5 Temperature (0C) – – 28 32
pH 8.56 8.5 8.66 8.85
TDS (ppm) 1630 1620 1100 895
Conductivity (μS/cm 1430 1650 1550 1510

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Table 2
The taxons of algae identified in the sector of creek analysed,
No. Phylum / Taxons Sampling – April/Station Sampling – May/Station Sampling – Junie /Station
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5
Cyanophyta
1 Anabaen a variabilis Bonnet et Flahault +
2 Anabaena catenula Kurtz. ex Bornet &Flahault +
3 Aphanizomenon flos -aquae Ralfs ex Born et Flah + + + +
4 Chamaesiphon sp +
5 Merismopedia glauca (Ehr.) Nageli + + + + + + + + + + + +
6 Merismopedia punctata Meyen + + + + + + + + + +
7 Oscillatoria plantonica Wolosz. + + + +
8 Oscillatoria limnetica Lemmerman + + + +
9 Oscilatoria cortiana Gomont +
10 Oscilatoria form osa( Boryde Saint –Vincent)Gomont + +
11 Oscilatoria tenuis ( Agardh) Gomont +
12 Phormidium sp. +
13 Phormidium inundatum ( Kutz.) Gomont +
14 Mycrocistis aeruginosa Kutz. +
Bacill ariophyta
1 Achnantes minutissima Kutz. + + + + + + + + + + + +
2 Amphipleura pellucida Kurtz. +
3 Amphora acutiuscula Kutz. +
4 Anomoeoneis sphaerophora ( Ehr.)Pfitzer + +
5 Asterionela formo sa Hassall + + + + + +
6 Cyclotela meneghiniana Kurtz. + + +
7 Cyclotella comta (Ehr.) Kutz . + + + + + +
8 Cymbella lanceolata Her.van Heurck + + + + + + +
9 Cymbella prostrata ( Berckeley) Cleve + + + + + +
10 Ceratoneis arcus Kütz + + + + +
11 Diatoma vulgare Bory + + + + + + +
12 D. hiemale Lyngbye Heiberg. + + + + +
13 Fragilaria crotonensis Kitton +
14 Gomphonema acuminatum Ehr. + + +
15 G. pa rvulum Kutz Grun. + + + + +
16 Gomphonema olivaceum Lyngbye + + + +
17 Hantzschia amphioxys ( Ehrenb.)Grunow + + +
18 Melosira sp. +
19 Navicula cryp tocephala Kutz. + + + + + + + + + +
20 Navicula la nceolata ( Agardh)Ehrenberg + +
21 Navicula rhynchocephala Kurtz +
22 Nitzichia hungarica Grun +

Universitatea de Științe Agricole și Medicină Veterinară Iași

90

Table 2 (continuation )
The taxons of algae identified in the sector of creek analysed,
No. Phylum / Taxons Sampling – April/Station Sampling – May/Station Sampling – Junie /Station
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5
Bacillariophyta
23 Pinnularia gibba Ehr. + + + +
24 Surirella linearis Smith
25 Surirella ovata Kurtz +
26 Synedra tabulata Kurtz +
27 Synedra ulna ( Nitz.) Ehr. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Euglenophyta
1 Euglena sp. + + +
2 Phacus acuminatus A. Stokes + + + + +
3 Trachelomonas granulata Svireko + + + +
Chlorophyta
1 Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck + + + + + + + + +
2 Cladophora glomerata Kutz + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
3 Closterium moniliferum Her. ex Ralfs + + + +
4 Coelastrum microporum Nageli in A. Braun + + + + +
5 Gongrosira fluminensis F. E. Fritsch + +
6 Kirchneriella obesa West & G. S. West + +
7 Koliella spiculiformis ( Vischer) Hindak + + + + + + + + +
8 Monoraphidium arcuatum ( Korshikov) Hindak +
9 Monoraphidium contortum ( Thuret ) Komarkova
Legnerova + +
10 Monoraphidium tortile Komarkova Legnerova + +
11 Pediastrum duplex Meyen +
12 Scene desmus acuminatus ( Lagerkeim) Chodat + +
13 Scenedesmus communis E. H. Hegewald + + + + + +
14 Scenedesmus falcatus Chodat + +
15 Scenedesmus granulatus W. West & G. S. West +
16 Spirogyra sp . + + + + + + +
17 Stigeoclonium tenue Kutz. + +
18 Tibonema viride Pascher +
Xantophyta
1 Xanthonema sp. +

Lucrări Științifice – vol. 55 , Supliment /2012, seria Agronomie

91 The values recorded for conductivity and TDS
indicate a high degree of mineralisation. According
to Pantazică M. (1974), the degree of water
mineralisation depends on a series of local
geographical factors (precipitations, types of soil,
temperature, etc). The author mentions the fact
that, according to the co ntent of salts, the river
waters in the basin of Bahlui river are waters with
high mineralisation (500mg/l – 1000mg/l)/ very
high ( ≥1000mg/l).
The sulphates were present in all the water
samples . The sulphate ion has an important role in
the mineralisatio n of the river water in the Bahlui
basin (16-28 %) ( Minea I., 2009 ). The nitrites were
present in the case of the stations 1 – 4 during the
whole period analysed. For the samples taken from
the station five, the nitrites were slightly noticeable
once (the sampling 4). The specific coloration of
the reaction of highlighting (pink – red) was more
pronounced in the case of the samples taken from
station 1. This fact is explained by the existence in
the neighbourhood of the bridge of a canal of flow
into the stream of the rain waters, and also of the
waters coming from the housing by the river.
There were identified 63 taxons of algae
that belong to five groups: Cyanophyta (14
taxon s), Bacillariophyta (27 taxon s); Euglenophyta
(3 taxon s), Chlorophyta ( 18 taxon s), Xantophyta
(one taxon) (tab.2). On analysing comparatively
the results obtained on the five sampling stations,
the following as noticed : as number of taxons
identified on the first place ther e is the phylum
Bacillariophyta followed in decreasing order by
Chlorophyta (which presents a larger number of
taxons at the stations 1 and 2) and Cyanophyta .
Among Xantophyta it was identified one taxon
only at station 5 (sampling 3) . According to Rishi
V., and Awasthi A. K. ( 2012), some species of the
genera Oscilatoria, Merispopedia, etc.
(Cyanophyta ) are main species indicating the
pollution. Some species we identified are present
in moderately polluted water (Achnantes
minutissima, Diatoma vulgare, Sy nedra ulna,
Navicula criptocephala, N. lanceolata, Hantzschia
amphioxys) or unpolluted (Achnantes minutissima ,
Diatoma vulgare ) (Mălăcea I., 1969; Kalyoncu H.,
and colab. , 2009 ).

CONCLU SIONS

The physico -chemical indicators present
specific value variati ons, according to the data of
sampling water and the station of sampling.
The water samplings taken from stations 5
(Vânători ) are noticeable for higher values of the
conductivity and TDS during the whole period
taken into study ; low algal diversity . The s pecies of dominant algae as number
of taxons are the diatoms ( Bacillariophyta ),
followed by the cyanop hyceae and chlorophyceae ;
less represented are the euglenophyceae and
xantophy ceae.

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*** Ordin nr. 161 din 16 februarie 2006 pentru aprobarea
Normativului privind clasificarea calității apelor de
suprafață în vederea stabilirii stării ecologice a
corpurilor de apă
*** Directiva Parlamentului și a Consiliului european 60/
2000/ EC privind stabilirea unui cadru de acțiune
comunitar în domeniul politicii apei .
(http://www.mmediu.ro/gospodarirea_apelor/direc
tiva_cadru.htm).
www.icpa.ro ∕comune_vulnerab ile ∕Iași ∕Raport
%20iași.pdf
www.isujis.ro ∕files ∕documente ∕cursuri -apa-codificate –