Chapter 2 Literature Review on River Water Quality Parameters and Pollution Management Policies

The health of a river depends on the quality of its water, which is influenced by the presence of pollutants. The quality of water is generally assessed by a range of parameters, which express physical, chemical and biological composition of water (Meybeck and Helmer 1992). This research deals with some specific water quality parameters of the Buriganga River, which include: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), electrical conductivity (ECw) and the concentration of lead, chromium, ammonia nitrogen and phosphate phosphorus. The guidelines as provided in the literature (Chapman and Kimstach 1992; Liston and Maher 1997) have facilitated the appropriate selection of these water quality parameters, which have been considered in relation to water use and pollution sources.