Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern Vietnam

This study evaluates the spatial distribution of heavy metals, water quality parameters, and ecological risks in the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers, two hydrologically connected systems in southern Vietnam. Using a multi-index assessment approach, incorporating the Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI), Wate...

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Main Authors: Thi-Minh-Tam Le, Truong-An Nguyen, Trung-Tin Nguyen, Tuyet T.N. Nguyen, Phuoc-Dan Nguyen, Julien Némery, Christine Baduel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266601642500132X
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author Thi-Minh-Tam Le
Truong-An Nguyen
Trung-Tin Nguyen
Tuyet T.N. Nguyen
Phuoc-Dan Nguyen
Julien Némery
Christine Baduel
author_facet Thi-Minh-Tam Le
Truong-An Nguyen
Trung-Tin Nguyen
Tuyet T.N. Nguyen
Phuoc-Dan Nguyen
Julien Némery
Christine Baduel
author_sort Thi-Minh-Tam Le
collection DOAJ
description This study evaluates the spatial distribution of heavy metals, water quality parameters, and ecological risks in the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers, two hydrologically connected systems in southern Vietnam. Using a multi-index assessment approach, incorporating the Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI), Water Pollution Index (WPI), and Risk Quotient (RQ), we identify pollution hotspots, dominant contamination sources, and ecological threats associated with urban-industrial discharges and agricultural runoff. Due to the release of untreated domestic and industrial wastewater effluents, the Saigon River exhibits localized pollution peaks in its densely populated urban section, where Cd, Zn, and Ni concentrations exceed WHO and Vietnamese water quality standards. In contrast, the Vam Co River demonstrates a gradual downstream increase in contamination, driven by diffuse agricultural inputs and aquaculture discharges, with elevated Zn, Cu, and Cd levels presenting significant ecological risks (RQ > 1). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that natural vegetation is important in improving water quality by pollutant buffering, while agriculture and urbanization tend to increase contamination loads. These findings emphasize the necessity for integrated management strategies, including improved wastewater treatment, sustainable agricultural practices, and forest conservation to maintain river water quality. Future research should incorporate seasonal variability to refine long-term water quality assessments and develop adaptive mitigation strategies for urban-industrial and agricultural watersheds in tropical regions.
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spelling doaj-art-5f61b4d5a3ca41a4aaee14140d6c90e92025-08-20T02:30:14ZengElsevierCase Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering2666-01642025-06-011110122510.1016/j.cscee.2025.101225Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern VietnamThi-Minh-Tam Le0Truong-An Nguyen1Trung-Tin Nguyen2Tuyet T.N. Nguyen3Phuoc-Dan Nguyen4Julien Némery5Christine Baduel6Centre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Corresponding author. Centre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet NamCentre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Grenoble-INP, IGE, 38000, Grenoble, FranceCentre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet NamCentre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Grenoble-INP, IGE, 38000, Grenoble, FranceCentre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Faculty of Civil Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet NamCentre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Grenoble-INP, IGE, 38000, Grenoble, FranceCentre for Asian Research on WatEr (CARE), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Grenoble-INP, IGE, 38000, Grenoble, FranceThis study evaluates the spatial distribution of heavy metals, water quality parameters, and ecological risks in the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers, two hydrologically connected systems in southern Vietnam. Using a multi-index assessment approach, incorporating the Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI), Water Pollution Index (WPI), and Risk Quotient (RQ), we identify pollution hotspots, dominant contamination sources, and ecological threats associated with urban-industrial discharges and agricultural runoff. Due to the release of untreated domestic and industrial wastewater effluents, the Saigon River exhibits localized pollution peaks in its densely populated urban section, where Cd, Zn, and Ni concentrations exceed WHO and Vietnamese water quality standards. In contrast, the Vam Co River demonstrates a gradual downstream increase in contamination, driven by diffuse agricultural inputs and aquaculture discharges, with elevated Zn, Cu, and Cd levels presenting significant ecological risks (RQ > 1). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that natural vegetation is important in improving water quality by pollutant buffering, while agriculture and urbanization tend to increase contamination loads. These findings emphasize the necessity for integrated management strategies, including improved wastewater treatment, sustainable agricultural practices, and forest conservation to maintain river water quality. Future research should incorporate seasonal variability to refine long-term water quality assessments and develop adaptive mitigation strategies for urban-industrial and agricultural watersheds in tropical regions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266601642500132XHeavy metal evaluation indexWater pollution indexRisk quotientLand use impactsHo chi minh cityRiver-estuarine continuum
spellingShingle Thi-Minh-Tam Le
Truong-An Nguyen
Trung-Tin Nguyen
Tuyet T.N. Nguyen
Phuoc-Dan Nguyen
Julien Némery
Christine Baduel
Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern Vietnam
Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Heavy metal evaluation index
Water pollution index
Risk quotient
Land use impacts
Ho chi minh city
River-estuarine continuum
title Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern Vietnam
title_full Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern Vietnam
title_fullStr Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern Vietnam
title_full_unstemmed Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern Vietnam
title_short Assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality: A case study of the Saigon and Vam Co Rivers in southern Vietnam
title_sort assessing spatial trends and land use impacts on surface water quality a case study of the saigon and vam co rivers in southern vietnam
topic Heavy metal evaluation index
Water pollution index
Risk quotient
Land use impacts
Ho chi minh city
River-estuarine continuum
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266601642500132X
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