Author(s)

M. Shariji & M. M. Hosseini

Abstract

Assessment of water quality by in situ sediment toxicity test in River Gamasiab, Iran M. ~harifi' & M. M. ~osseini' I- Department of Biology, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. Abstract River Garnasiab in western Iran is a small river, which supports for much of its length healthy macroinvertebrate communities. In its lower reach urbanization negatively affects the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna, resulting in impaired communities dominated by chironomidae and oligochaeta. In order to determine whether the toxicity of raw sewage and urban runoff contributed to any changes in the benthic macroinvertebrate, we exposed adult Garnrnarus sp to parts of the river sediment, which are under influence of urban effluents. Test animals were collected from upper reach of the river and placed in PVC pipe equipped with wire mesh inserted at lower part of the pipe. The survival of Gamrnarus sp at three sites downstream was lower compared to the control site in upstream. During the bioassay BOD, COD, DO, NO3,

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