The article discusses the relationship between independent, dependent, and intervening variables in a study about the Pantal River in Dagupan City. The independent variable is the sampling site, chosen by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for its strategic location at the river’s mouth, accessibility, and proximity to business establishments. Five-liter water samples were collected for physicochemical analysis, which serves as the dependent variable. Climate and population density around the river are considered intervening variables, as they can influence the water’s physicochemical properties. For instance, sulfur levels vary between dry and wet seasons, and higher population density can lead to increased pollution.
The study aims to assess the physicochemical characteristics of the Pantal River’s water at five different stations, focusing on parameters like pH, temperature, water hardness, total suspended solids, turbidity, biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, and chemical content (nitrite, phosphate, ammonia). It seeks to determine if there are significant differences in these characteristics across the stations.
The research is valuable for local government, environmental agencies, river-dependent communities, and future researchers. It provides data that can inform regulations, raise awareness, and serve as a foundation for further studies on water pollution. The study was conducted during the dry season, with samples analyzed at the BFAR Limnology Laboratory. It focuses solely on water characteristics, excluding mineral and substrate analysis, due to the river’s flowing nature, which suggests uniformity in parameters across stations.
Key terms are defined to aid understanding, including ammonia, biological oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, lotic ecosystem, nitrite, parameters, pH, phosphate, physicochemical property, pollutants, pollution, river, salinity, temperature, total hardness, total suspended solids, and turbidity. The research aims to evaluate the water’s physical, chemical, and biological nature concerning natural quality, human impact, and intended uses, particularly those affecting human and aquatic health.
