Abstract

FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ, Moraima; NFUNDIKO CHRISTIAN, Bicera; GUARDADO-LACABA, Rafael  and  ALMAGUER CARMENATE, Yuri. Hydrochemical evaluation of the waters of the Cayo Guam River, Moa, Cuba. Min. Geol. [online]. 2018, vol.34, n.3, pp. 268-288. ISSN 1993-8012.

The watershed of the Cayo Guam River is affected by the anthropogenic activity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of waters of the river from Hydrochemical point of view. It has been taken 13 samples in total around the river bed and in different points subsequent and previous to the polluted sources. To control terrestrial waters, the values of bacteriological, physical and chemical determinations were verified taking into consideration the regulations in force. It was concluded that the main source of water pollution is the exploration and exploitation of different deposits (lateritic, chromite, aggregate) on the riverbed. From the physical point of view, the waters turned out to be weakly basic, hydrocarbon-magnesium type I and soft waters because of its hardness and low calcium contents due to the lithology of the area; its coloration exceeds what is permissible in some sampling points. The presence of nitrites that show contamination by nearby sewers was also detected; showing bacteriological contamination at the point of higher concentration of nitrites. Although the pollution values are not alarming, some elements are above the norms.

Keywords : hydrochemical; water quality; Cayo Guam River; nitrites; anthropic contamination.

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