PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2012, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (5): 617-624.doi: 10.11820/dlkxjz.2012.05.010

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Comparisons of Some Common Methods for Water Environmental Quality Assessment

LI Mingsheng, ZHANG Jianhui, LIANG Nian, LIN Lanyu, LI Qian, WEN Xiangcai   

  1. China National Environmental Monitoring Center, Beijing 100012, China
  • Received:2011-08-01 Revised:2011-11-01 Online:2012-05-25 Published:2012-05-25

Abstract: In order to compare the applicability and limitation of some common methods for water environmental quality assessment, we analyzed seven common methods, such as single-factor assessment, average pollution index, Nemerow index, grey correlation analysis, fuzzy comprehensive assessment, matter element extension assessment,comprehensive water quality identification index, based on the water quality monitoring data of 190surface water sections under national monitoring program in the Yangtze River drainage basin and Huaihe drainage basin. The main results could be summarized as follows. (1) Index weight had little effect on the assessment result. Among the 190 surface water sections under national monitoring program, 73.7% did not change distinctly.Matter element extension assessment method was sensitive to index weight. (2) When the assessment factors’pollution extent was similar, the average pollution index had the advantage. While the specific factor’s pollutionextent was outstanding, the Nemerow index was more suitable. The result of average pollution index conformed to the result of Nemerow index, and the correlation coefficient was 0.94. The correlation coefficient was increasing when the water pollution was more serious. (3) The results of grading score method and single-factor assessment had significant difference. There were only about 10% of the 190 sections whose results were consistent.And the difference was bigger while the water quality is getting worse. (4) The results of the seven methodswere correlative to a certain extent. The correlation coefficient of assessment rank was 0.7 or so. Based on anoverall consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of these methods, and according to the requirement of environmental management, the single-factor assessment method and water quality identification index are the optimal methods. Therefore, these two methods could be used in combination when assessing water quality.

Key words: assessment method, environmental quality, index weight, water quality