Affiliations: Department of Environmental Science, Royal University
of Phnom Penh, Russian Confederation Blvd. Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Department of
Pollution Control, Ministry of Environment, Cambodia; and Postgraduate Student
at the University of Warwick, United Kingdom | Department of Environmental Science, Royal University
of Phnom Penh, Russian Confederation Blvd. Phnom Penh, Cambodia | Department of Geography and Planning and Center for
Southeast Asia Environment and Sustainable Development Buffalo State, State
University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14222 | School of Environment, Resources and Development,
Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4 Klong Laung, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Abstract: Water quality samples were collected in three sewer channels
discharging into the Boeng Cheung Ek treatment wetland and at two longitudinal
sites within the wetland (mid-point and outlet), principally during the dry
season, but also during storm events. YSI datasondes were installed to collect
data at 15-minute intervals for dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity,
temperature and pH, at two sites in the wetland. Levels of Cu, Cr, Zn, total
phosphorus, nitrate, detergents, E. coli and total suspended solids entering
Boeng Cheung Ek from the three main tributary sewer channels and levels in the
outflow from the wetland were compared for the dry season. The difference in
mean concentration between inlet and outlet reflected reductions in the range
of 44% (nitrate) to 99.97% (E. coli), with other parameters fitting within this
range. Load reductions also were calculated on a monthly basis. Several
contaminants within the sewer channels were significantly diluted by stormwater
during individual rain events, although this trend was not observed within the
wetland. The YSI data exhibited both interesting daily trends for dissolved
oxygen and dry season to rainy season trends in weekly mean values for
dissolved oxygen and conductivity.
