ANALYSIS OF THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PARAMETERS TO CHARACTERIZE WATER QUALITY CONDITION IN LAKE MATITA, DANUBE DELTA, ROMANIA.

Water quality was investigated in Lake Matita, part of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, Romania, to assess the overall status of the freshwater ecosystem, in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD – 2000/60/EC), which addresses all surface waters i.e., rivers, lakes, transitional waters and coastal waters in the EU. From this perspective, a specific physical and chemical analysis of surface water samples was performed, collected in different sectors of the lake, during the summer of June 2020. Several parameters such as pH, temperature, transparency, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), oxido-reduction potential, nutrients, turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), and technophilic elements i.e., Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were analyzed for each water sample. The acquired values of each parameter were related to the standard values established by the national and international water quality criteria for environmental requirements in surface waters. Generally, the values of each parameter were found to be in line with the limits set by the correlated environmental standards. Overall, the water from all sampling sites was found to be in near good ecological condition. Despite that, it is also important to consider and monitor these classical physical and chemical water parameters, as well as other potential contaminants, over a long-term period, in order to protect and conserve the natural water resources of the Danube Delta, the largest protected wetland in the European Union and one of the largest in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]