Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in Africa
A Water Quality Index (WQI) is a tool that describes the overall water quality by combining complex and technical water quality information into a single meaningful unitless numerical value. WQIs predict water quality since they reflect the impact of multiple Water Quality Parameters (WQPs) and allo...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/9/1736 |
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| author | Dorothy Khasisi Lukhabi Paul Kojo Mensah Noble Kwame Asare Tchaka Pulumuka-Kamanga Kennedy Ochieng Ouma |
| author_facet | Dorothy Khasisi Lukhabi Paul Kojo Mensah Noble Kwame Asare Tchaka Pulumuka-Kamanga Kennedy Ochieng Ouma |
| author_sort | Dorothy Khasisi Lukhabi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A Water Quality Index (WQI) is a tool that describes the overall water quality by combining complex and technical water quality information into a single meaningful unitless numerical value. WQIs predict water quality since they reflect the impact of multiple Water Quality Parameters (WQPs) and allow for spatial-temporal comparison of water quality status. Most African countries employ adapted WQIs by modifying the original index (or indices) and propose their concepts for evaluating the quality of surface and groundwater, which is normally accompanied by irregularities. The current review examined the process(es) involved in WQI modifications for monitoring water quality in Africa, explored associated limitations, and suggested areas for improvement. A review of 42 research articles from five databases in the last ten years (2012–2022) was conducted. The findings indicated Weighted Arithmetic (WAWQI) and the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCMEWQI) as the most adapted WQIs. However, several limitations were encountered in WQI developmental steps, mainly in parameter selection and classification schemes used for the final index value. Incorporation of biological parameters, use of less subjective statistical methods in parameter selection, and logical linguistic descriptions in classification schemes were some recommendations for remedying the limitations to register the full potential of adapted WQIs for water quality monitoring in Africa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:04:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d1a98eee22fc4d06967e29733bedb5af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:04:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1a98eee22fc4d06967e29733bedb5af2023-11-17T23:57:47ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-04-01159173610.3390/w15091736Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in AfricaDorothy Khasisi Lukhabi0Paul Kojo Mensah1Noble Kwame Asare2Tchaka Pulumuka-Kamanga3Kennedy Ochieng Ouma4Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 00223, GhanaDepartment of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 00233, GhanaAfrica Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 00223, GhanaAfrica Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 00223, GhanaDepartment of Zoology and Aquatic Sciences, School of Natural Resources, The Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, ZambiaA Water Quality Index (WQI) is a tool that describes the overall water quality by combining complex and technical water quality information into a single meaningful unitless numerical value. WQIs predict water quality since they reflect the impact of multiple Water Quality Parameters (WQPs) and allow for spatial-temporal comparison of water quality status. Most African countries employ adapted WQIs by modifying the original index (or indices) and propose their concepts for evaluating the quality of surface and groundwater, which is normally accompanied by irregularities. The current review examined the process(es) involved in WQI modifications for monitoring water quality in Africa, explored associated limitations, and suggested areas for improvement. A review of 42 research articles from five databases in the last ten years (2012–2022) was conducted. The findings indicated Weighted Arithmetic (WAWQI) and the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCMEWQI) as the most adapted WQIs. However, several limitations were encountered in WQI developmental steps, mainly in parameter selection and classification schemes used for the final index value. Incorporation of biological parameters, use of less subjective statistical methods in parameter selection, and logical linguistic descriptions in classification schemes were some recommendations for remedying the limitations to register the full potential of adapted WQIs for water quality monitoring in Africa.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/9/1736water quality indexwater quality parametersphysicochemical parametersmultivariate statisticsbenthic macroinvertebratesmicrobiological parameters |
| spellingShingle | Dorothy Khasisi Lukhabi Paul Kojo Mensah Noble Kwame Asare Tchaka Pulumuka-Kamanga Kennedy Ochieng Ouma Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in Africa Water water quality index water quality parameters physicochemical parameters multivariate statistics benthic macroinvertebrates microbiological parameters |
| title | Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in Africa |
| title_full | Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in Africa |
| title_fullStr | Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in Africa |
| title_short | Adapted Water Quality Indices: Limitations and Potential for Water Quality Monitoring in Africa |
| title_sort | adapted water quality indices limitations and potential for water quality monitoring in africa |
| topic | water quality index water quality parameters physicochemical parameters multivariate statistics benthic macroinvertebrates microbiological parameters |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/9/1736 |
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