[A-HW28] Hydrology and Water Environment

[AHW28-P19] Exploring the Interrelationships Among Taiwan's River Water Quality Parameters Based on Factor Analysis

*JUI-YU CHANG¹, Ching-ping Liang², Jui-Sheng Chen^1,3 (1.Graduate Institute of Applied Geology, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, 2.Department of Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung , Taiwan, 3.Center for Advanced Model Research Development and Applications, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan)

Keywords:SPSS, Factor Analysis, River Water Quality, Pollution Source Analysis

The causes of river pollution stem from multiple sources, including domestic sewage, industrial wastewater, and agricultural runoff. Meanwhile, variations in river water quality are closely linked to human health and have profound implications for quality of life and public health. This study aims to analyze 21 river water quality parameters monitored by Taiwan's Ministry of Environment using factor analysis in SPSS software. The objective is to identify key influencing factors and explore the intrinsic relationships among water quality parameters. The findings of this study can assist environmental management agencies in making precise decisions and allocating resources effectively to mitigate potential pollution risks.The analysis results indicate that six major factors exhibit high eigenvalues, explaining 75.51% of the total data variance. Factor 1 is associated with organic and microbial pollution, encompassing River Pollution Index (RPI), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Ammonium Nitrogen (NH₃⁺-N), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Nitrite Nitrogen (NO₂^--N), and Escherichia coli, likely originating from domestic sewage, agriculture, and livestock activities. Factor 2 is related to heavy metal and suspended solid pollution, including Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), Suspended Solids (SS), and Arsenic (As), which may result from industrial wastewater, mining activities, and natural weathering. Factor 3 is linked to nutrient and metal pollution, involving Copper (Cu), Nitrate Nitrogen (NO₃^--N), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn), primarily associated with industrial and agricultural discharges, particularly heavy metal contamination and nitrogen-based nutrients. Factor 4 pertains to water conductivity and inorganic salt concentrations, covering Chloride (Cl^-) and Electrical Conductivity (EC), reflecting changes in ionic strength that may be influenced by seawater intrusion or salt layer leaching. Factor 5 relates to water pH balance and dissolved oxygen levels, including pH and Dissolved Oxygen (DO), indicating the chemical environment of the water body, potentially affected by algal photosynthesis, acid rain, or pollutant decomposition. Factor 6 reflects the impact of precious metals and nutrients, comprising Silver (Ag) and Total phosphate (TP), which may be linked to industrial wastewater, the electronics manufacturing industry, and eutrophication.Through factor analysis, this study categorizes water quality parameters into six major pollution types, facilitating the identification of pollution sources and key driving factors behind water quality variations. The findings provide environmental management agencies with targeted governance strategies, preventing resource and time waste while offering a scientific basis for water quality monitoring and pollution management.