Water quality assessment of Porsuk River, Turkey

Abstract

The surface water quality of Porsuk River in Turkey was evaluated by using the multivariate statistical techniques including principal component analysis, factor analysis and cluster analysis. When principal component analysis and factor analysis as applied to the surface water quality data obtain from the eleven different observation stations, three factors were determined, which were responsible from the 66. 88% of total variance of the surface water quality in Porsuk River. Cluster analysis grouped eleven observation stations into two clusters under the similarity of surface water quality parameters. Based on the locations of the observation stations and variable concentrations at these stations, it was concluded that urban, industrial and agricultural discharge strongly affected east part of the region. Finally, this study shows that the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques for analysis and interpretation of datasets and determination pollution factors for river water quality management.