Determination of water quality through using bioindicators, physical-chemical and microbiological analysis of the lagoon Santo Domingo of the national park Cotopaxi, province of Pichincha, period 2018

Abstract

The current research project carried out in the Santo Domingo Lagoon of the Cotopaxi National Park, a Protected Area that is located in the canton of Mejia, province of Pichincha, and retains their transcendental goal to determine the water quality from the application of bioindicators and physical-chemical and microbiological laboratory analysis. They obtained results about the quality of water using bioindicators according to the methodology used (scientific induction, inductive, deductive, measurement, quantitative), where samples were taken at five specific points of entry and exit of the lake body in April, May and June, making use of water quality identification techniques for tolerance; Biological Monitoring Working Part (BMWP/Col.), Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Tricoptera (EPT), Andean Biotic Index (ABI), and Biotic Index of Families (IBF). Meanwhile, the environmental quality indices were used for the physical, chemical and microbiological analysis: DINUS - Fundación Nacional de Saneamiento (NFS), defining that the water conditions are wrong or contaminated. By contrast, from the application of the BMWP/Col. and ABI indices, the water quality pertains to waters of questionable and critical condition. However, with the application of the BMWP/Col. and ABI indices, it was defined that the water quality corresponds to waters of doubtful and critical condition, which are, in conclusion, very contaminated waters. On the other hand, one of the techniques for using bioindicators from the IBF index yielded a different result in areas of apparent organic contamination, determining that the Santo Domingo Lagoon demonstrates an "excellent" indicator. Keywords: water, analysis, bioindicators, quality, indices, lagoon.