From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern Algeria
Assessing water quality in semi-arid river systems under intense anthropogenic pressures presents significant challenges for sustainable management. In this study, we evaluated the surface water quality of the upper Medjerda River in northeastern Algeria by integrating traditional indices, the Organ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Desalination and Water Treatment |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625003583 |
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| author | Benacherine Mostefa Lyazid Mohamed Nadjib Allaoua Noua Soualah Alila Hana Satour Abd El Latif Chouiter Norhane Debassi Bouchra Zineb Chetouh Md Galal Uddin |
| author_facet | Benacherine Mostefa Lyazid Mohamed Nadjib Allaoua Noua Soualah Alila Hana Satour Abd El Latif Chouiter Norhane Debassi Bouchra Zineb Chetouh Md Galal Uddin |
| author_sort | Benacherine Mostefa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Assessing water quality in semi-arid river systems under intense anthropogenic pressures presents significant challenges for sustainable management. In this study, we evaluated the surface water quality of the upper Medjerda River in northeastern Algeria by integrating traditional indices, the Organic Pollution Index (OPI) and the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WA_WQI), with advanced multivariate analyses including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Generalized Linear Models (GLMs). To overcome the limitations of conventional methods, we developed a new composite metric, the Water Quality Pollution Index (WQPI), synthesizing both general physicochemical conditions and organic pollution. Results revealed widespread degradation at upstream sites, where 50 % of samples exhibited very poor water quality according to WA_WQI and 37.5 % were classified as highly organically polluted by OPI. Spatial interpolation highlighted intense pollution near urbanized zones, with a gradual downstream improvement; whereas the GLM analyses identified nitrate (NO₃⁻) as the most critical factor for influencing water quality and its variability, confirming its dominant role in nutrient-driven pollution processes. The results of WQPI provided a clearer classification of water quality, capturing pollution dynamics overlooked by traditional indices. Notably, 12.5 % of stations exhibited very poor water quality and 75 % showed poor quality. This underscores the value of integrated approaches for monitoring and managing semi-arid basins. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-559d2fe7adf3450e80b3e8bf94d74a1b |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1944-3986 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Desalination and Water Treatment |
| spelling | doaj-art-559d2fe7adf3450e80b3e8bf94d74a1b2025-07-31T04:53:09ZengElsevierDesalination and Water Treatment1944-39862025-07-01323101342From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern AlgeriaBenacherine Mostefa0Lyazid Mohamed Nadjib1Allaoua Noua2Soualah Alila Hana3Satour Abd El Latif4Chouiter Norhane5Debassi Bouchra6Zineb Chetouh7Md Galal Uddin8Laboratory of Natural Resources and Management of Sensitive Environments, Larbi Ben M′hidi University, Oum-El-Bouaghi 04000, AlgeriaLaboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, University of Larbi Ben M’hidi, Oum El Bouaghi, AlgeriaLaboratory of Natural Resources and Management of Sensitive Environments, Larbi Ben M′hidi University, Oum-El-Bouaghi 04000, AlgeriaResearch Center for Environment, (CRE), Annaba, Algeria; Ecology and environment department, Mouhamed Cherif Messadia University, Souk-Ahras, Algeria; Laboratoire de Chimie Organique et Interdisciplinaire, AlgeriaLaboratory for Wetland Conservation, University of May 8, 1945, Guelma, AlgeriaLaboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, University of Larbi Ben M’hidi, Oum El Bouaghi, AlgeriaLaboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, University of Larbi Ben M’hidi, Oum El Bouaghi, AlgeriaLaboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, University of Larbi Ben M’hidi, Oum El Bouaghi, AlgeriaSchool of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Eco-HydroInformatics Research Group (EHIRG), Civil Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Sustainable Infrastructure Research& Innovation Group, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland; Correspondence to: Civil Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Ireland.Assessing water quality in semi-arid river systems under intense anthropogenic pressures presents significant challenges for sustainable management. In this study, we evaluated the surface water quality of the upper Medjerda River in northeastern Algeria by integrating traditional indices, the Organic Pollution Index (OPI) and the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WA_WQI), with advanced multivariate analyses including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Generalized Linear Models (GLMs). To overcome the limitations of conventional methods, we developed a new composite metric, the Water Quality Pollution Index (WQPI), synthesizing both general physicochemical conditions and organic pollution. Results revealed widespread degradation at upstream sites, where 50 % of samples exhibited very poor water quality according to WA_WQI and 37.5 % were classified as highly organically polluted by OPI. Spatial interpolation highlighted intense pollution near urbanized zones, with a gradual downstream improvement; whereas the GLM analyses identified nitrate (NO₃⁻) as the most critical factor for influencing water quality and its variability, confirming its dominant role in nutrient-driven pollution processes. The results of WQPI provided a clearer classification of water quality, capturing pollution dynamics overlooked by traditional indices. Notably, 12.5 % of stations exhibited very poor water quality and 75 % showed poor quality. This underscores the value of integrated approaches for monitoring and managing semi-arid basins.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625003583Water Quality Pollution IndexOrganic Pollution IndexWeighted Arithmetic Water Quality IndexGLMNitrate |
| spellingShingle | Benacherine Mostefa Lyazid Mohamed Nadjib Allaoua Noua Soualah Alila Hana Satour Abd El Latif Chouiter Norhane Debassi Bouchra Zineb Chetouh Md Galal Uddin From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern Algeria Desalination and Water Treatment Water Quality Pollution Index Organic Pollution Index Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index GLM Nitrate |
| title | From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern Algeria |
| title_full | From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern Algeria |
| title_fullStr | From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern Algeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern Algeria |
| title_short | From fragmented to integrated: Advancing surface water quality assessment through WQPI in the upper Medjerda River, Northeastern Algeria |
| title_sort | from fragmented to integrated advancing surface water quality assessment through wqpi in the upper medjerda river northeastern algeria |
| topic | Water Quality Pollution Index Organic Pollution Index Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index GLM Nitrate |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625003583 |
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