Set up fixed water quality monitoring stations in the sea area to conduct regular and long-term monitoring of changes in water quality parameters

Original indicator name: Set up fixed water quality monitoring stations in sea areas and harbors to conduct regular and long-term monitoring of changes in water quality parameters.

Themes

Marine pollution

PSBR model type

Pressure (P)

Corresponding targets

SDGs

14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution. 14.1.2 2020 quantitative target: maintain more than 99.5% of the water quality data reaching the standards in 8 of the testing items.

Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Target 8 By 2020, pollution, including from excess nutrients, has been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem function and biodiversity.

Background

Many toxic metals can be found in the ocean including mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc, etc. These metal elements may exist alone or bind with organic compounds which becomes more toxic. For example, when mercury binds with carbon, it can form the neurotoxic compound methylmercury [CH3Hg]+. Although many metals naturally exist in the environment, the anthropogenic emissions caused by industrial and mining activities may increase the concentration of many toxins. If water quality data can be automatically and continuously monitored, a database of actual measured raw data should be built and made public online. This can be used to find the source of pollution, report it, and effectively stop illegal emissions of pollution.

Definition and Calculation

There are 105 water quality monitoring stations in 20 sea areas every quater. The monitoring items include water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc, and lead. The field data of water quality items inspected annually or quarterly was compiled and presented in the form of graph and chart, to observe the trends of change in sea water quality over the years.

Updates

In 2018, the water quality monitoring results of 105 stations in 20 sea areas every quarter (yearly average¹), the water temperature is 25.2℃, the pH is 8.16, the dissolved oxygen is 6.67 mg/L, and the lead is 0.000255 mg/L, Mercury<0.0003mg/L, copper 0.001261 mg/L, zinc 0.005885 mg/L, cadmium 0.0000197 mg/L.

Trends

Data Management Authorities

Ocean Conservation Administration (Environmental Protection Agency before 2018)

Data Source / URL

The Annual Report of Water Quality, on the website of Environmental Water Quality Information by Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan.