Towards Sustainable Water Quality Management in the Bohai Sea: A Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Nearshore Pollution

Wei Gao, Hongcui Wang (), Pengyu Zhang and Chunjiang An
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Wei Gao: Center of Eco-Environmental Monitoring and Scientific Research, Administration of Ecology and Environment of Haihe River Basin and Beihai Sea Area, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of PRC, Tianjin 300211, China
Hongcui Wang: Center of Eco-Environmental Monitoring and Scientific Research, Administration of Ecology and Environment of Haihe River Basin and Beihai Sea Area, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of PRC, Tianjin 300211, China
Pengyu Zhang: Center of Eco-Environmental Monitoring and Scientific Research, Administration of Ecology and Environment of Haihe River Basin and Beihai Sea Area, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of PRC, Tianjin 300211, China
Chunjiang An: Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: The severe water quality pollution of the Bohai Sea impacts both the ecosystem and the economy of the region. This study assesses the water quality of the Bohai Sea using a two-year (2020–2021) dataset to investigate the spatial distribution and sources of contamination. Multivariate statistical analysis methods, including principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and discriminant analysis, are employed. Thirteen chemical indicators are analyzed through PCA, resulting in the extraction of three principal components that reflect different pollution sources related to domestic, industrial, and agricultural activities. Additionally, the corresponding water quality index (WQI) is calculated to categorize the water quality into three levels using CA. The PCA-based WQI method is feasible and shows similarities to the traditional WQI method. Higher pollution levels are observed in Panjin and Tianjin, while Huludao, Yantai, and Dalian exhibit relatively good water quality. The results indicate complex, multifactorial pollution causes in the Bohai Sea, including eutrophication, heavy metal contamination, and ammonia pollution. These findings can guide region-specific water quality management: Panjin should control heavy metal discharges from industry and transportation, while Tianjin requires improvements in runoff management of ammonia-based fertilizers. Together, these strategies support the ecological and sustainable development of the Bohai Sea.

Keywords: water quality index; spatial distribution; multivariate statistical techniques; the Bohai Sea; sustainable management practices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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