| Author | Dhitiya Pakdeesom |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-20-02 |
| Subject(s) | Contaminated sediments--Thailand--Chao Phraya watershed
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| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Excessive nutrient accumulation in riverine systems results in considerable burden on aquatic ecosystem and significant deterioration of aquatic environmental quality. However, there is a lack of information to assess the linkage between change of nutrient link with socio-economic and land-use change especially tropical developing countries. River sediment as an important material sink, records the long-term history of major contaminants including nitrogen and phosphorus. Therefore, this study measured nutrients in river sediment cores from upper Chao Phraya watersheds in order to reconstruct their historical profiles. The temporal and spatial distribution patterns of sedimentary nutrients and their primary sources were identified. In addition, the potential effects of socio-economic processes and land-use changes on nutrient loadings were explored using multivariate statistical analyses. The results reveal that temporal change of nutrient accumulation from the upper Chao Phraya watershed showed increasing nutrient concentrations toward from bottom to surface sediment core in downstream of watershed. It means that nutrient loading discharge increase along the time. Moreover, spatial change is significant between upstream and downstream. Upstream and downstream are dominant by different nutrients. Therefore, they might impact by different nutrient sources. Potential sources of nutrient pollution in upper Chao Phraya watershed were investigated by use PCA. PCA summarize that the forest and agriculture source may contribute 46.64% of the total variance which is major source impact in upstream. PC2 represent urban source explained 21.27% of the total variance which is major source impact in downstream. Then, another source is mineral source (17.27% of total variance). Major source impact in downstream of Wang and middle stream of Ping were located in downstream of mining, and others might come from nature. Socio-economic factors and land-use change significantly correlated to nutrients. Then, socio-economic factors can explain 73.97% of total variance of nutrient contents, and landuse change can explain 71.05% of total variance of nutrients. Therefore, the result show that socio-economic factors really impact on nutrient loading in upper Chao Phraya watershed. The findings of this study provide useful information to support the environmental policymaking in the region in order to reduce serious effects on the aquatic ecosystem due to rapid development and urbanization. |
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Xue, Wenchao; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shrestha, Rajendra Prasad;Shipin, Oleg; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2020 |