Evaluación de la calidad de agua del río Upano ubicado en la región Amazónica, provincia de Morona Santiago - Ecuador

Abstract

At the foothills of the Sangay volcano lies the Upano River. Due to volcanic eruptions and anthropogenic impacts, certain parameters of this water source may have been altered. This river traverses through several cantons in the province, making it crucial to assess water quality, as it is a vital resource for the survival and development of living organisms. A monitoring system was implemented along the river, establishing 13 control parameters: total solids (gravimetric analysis), dissolved solids (conductivity meter), pH (pH meter), conductivity (conductivity meter), turbidity (turbidimeter), nitrates (Hach - DR2800), hexavalent chromium (Hach - DR2800), sulfates (Hach - DR2800), hardness (reactive strip), alkalinity (reactive strip), phosphorus (Hach - DR2800), total coliforms, and fecal coliforms (MPN); for laboratory

evaluations. Twenty-five samples were collected and analyzed in the Upano River micro- basin. Over a period of 5 weeks, the following points were examined: Alto Upano, La Unión,

Wapu, Santa Rosa, and Macas. Water Quality Index (WQI) values were determined using the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and the Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI), along with pollution indices for mineralization (ICOMI), organic matter (ICOMO), and suspended solids (ICOSUS). Water quality is classified as "Poor" and "Very Poor" according to NSF and OWQI indices, respectively, from it is confluence with the Volcan River. However, in it is natural state, both indices indicate that the water is suitable for aquatic and wildlife preservation.