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Published VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Water quality within the greater Suva Urban marine environment through spatial analysis of nutrients and water properties
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol.213, pp.1-18
2025
PMID: 39892061
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems in Pacific Island Countries and Territories are vital to local livelihoods, yet increasingly face pressures from urbanization. In Fiji, the Greater Suva Urban Area, where one-third of the nation's population live, exemplifies these challenges. This study examines spatial and temporal water quality variations in the coastal zone, focusing on physicochemical, nutrients, and clarity parameters. Using a Seabird Scientific SBE19 CTD and Thermo Scientific Orion™ AQUAfast™ colorimeter, coupled with hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis, six water quality clusters were identified, influenced by oceanic processes, river inputs, and anthropogenic activities. Key findings highlight nutrient enrichment near urban centers particularly at the Kinoya Sewage Treatment Plant outfall, where ammonia exceeded 17.8 mg/L, and significant variation observed in nitrate (up to 0.24 ± 0.06 mg/L) and nitrite (up to 0.24 ± 0.06 mg/L) concentrations near river mouths. Seasonal runoff contributed to elevated turbidity (up to 3.5 NTU) and total suspended solids (up to 14.7 mg/L) levels during wet months. Salinity, and temperature exhibited strong spatial and seasonal variability, reflecting land-ocean interactions and restricted water exchange. These findings emphasize the need for targeted action to mitigate nutrient pollution, urban runoff, and wastewater impacts. This study provides a cost-effective monitoring framework for water quality management, offering insights for sustainable coastal resource management in Fiji and other Pacific regions amidst urbanization and climate change.
Details
- Title
- Water quality within the greater Suva Urban marine environment through spatial analysis of nutrients and water properties
- Authors
- Jasha Dehm (Corresponding Author) - University of the South PacificRomain Le Gendre - Écologie Marine Tropicale des Océans Pacifique et IndienMonal Lal - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringChristophe Menkes - Écologie Marine Tropicale des Océans Pacifique et IndienAwnesh Singh - University of the South Pacific
- Publication details
- Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol.213, pp.1-18
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117601
- ISSN
- 1879-3363; 0025-326X
- PMID
- 39892061
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- Data will be made available on request.
- Grant note
- University of the South Pacific's School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Oceans & Natural Sciences research student grant (F3354-FST15-71502-001).
- Organisation Unit
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991102145502621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Marine & Freshwater Biology
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