Integrated Correlation Analysis and Multiple Index Approach for Coastal Water Quality Assessment in Northern Java: A Case Study of Mundu, Cirebon Regency

• Meita Eka Fara ^[1] ; Diyah Fatimah Oktaviani ^[1] ; Dominikus Krisna Herlambang ^[1] ; Mochamad Riam Badriana ^[1] ; Hestik Sukowati ^[2] ; Chungkyun Jeon ^[1] ; Ivonne Milichristi Radjawane ^[1]
  1. [1] Korea-Indonesia Marine Technology Cooperation Research Center
  2. [2] Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia
• Localización: Thalassas: An international journal of marine sciences, ISSN 0212-5919, Vol. 41, Nº. 4, 2025
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Coastal waters may appear compliant with regulatory standards while already experiencing nutrient stress. In Mundu, northern Java, we assessed ecosystem health by combining correlation analysis with multiple water quality indices (WQIs). Surface water from nine stations was analyzed for temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, NO2, NO3, PO4, and NH3 during the rainy season. Results showed pronounced spatial gradients with elevated nutrient levels (NO3 > 0.15 mg/L, PO4 to 0.04 mg/L) near estuaries and urban areas, exceeding national thresholds. Correlation analysis revealed strong linkages among variables, including ammonia total rising with temperature (r = 0.878), reflecting warming-enhanced mineralization, and a salinity–oxygen paradox where higher salinity waters maintained elevated oxygen (r = 0.712). WQI outcomes diverged: STORET (–21) and PI (6.28) classified the waters as moderately polluted, whereas BCWQI (2.26) and CWQI (97.89) showed excellent quality. These inconsistencies highlight the limitations of relying on a single index and point to the need for integrated frameworks that link compliance-based thresholds with ecological signals. It provides valuable insights into the health and productivity of aquatic environments for monitoring data-poor tropical regions. The findings provide early warning of eutrophication risks and strengthen the scientific basis for evaluating the Clean Waters sub-index of Indonesia’s Ocean Health Index (OHI) status