Impact of human activity on the water quality of lake Mullinjëza, Belsh, Albania

¹ Department of Meteorology - Institute of Geo Sciences, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Elbasan “Aleksandër Xhuvani”, Albania
³ Environmental Expert, Polis University, Albania
⁴ Environmental Expert, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania

^* Corresponding author: enkilusha@gmail.com

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities heavily influence lake ecosystems. This is due to population growth and the development of the industry and agriculture sectors. These activities include the intensified use of fishery resources, sewage discharge, polluting materials & substances, etc. The main aim of this study is to present an overview of the human impact on the pollution of the waters of Lake Mullinjëz. The many historical, cultural, ethnographic, architectural, and natural values that this city inherited from the past constitute a considerable potential for tourism. The objectives were to assess the lake water’s quality and propose measures for minimization and mitigation of impacts on the environment and the development of tourism in Belsh. Another important influential factor is the urban waste management near the lake which was through away along the shore of this lake. Sampling sites were selected to measure the impacts of potential sources of pollution, such as sewage discharge and urban waste. The results show that the quality of the water lake is very polluted. The most critical parameters of the water quality of Lake Mullinjëza are SS, PO43-, NO2-, NO3-, and NH4+. The most pronounced increase is observed in nitrites, nitrates, ammonium, TSS, TDS, and phosphates.