Water quality assessment of the Cacao Coastal Lagoon, Honduras

Abstract

This study was conducted as part of a community outreach project at the Atlantic Coast Regional University Center of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH Atlántida Campus). Its main purpose was to evaluate water quality in a specific area of a coastal marine wetland located in the Department of Jutiapa. This initiative aimed to generate the first results derived from the application of the Marine Water Environmental Quality Index for Flora and Fauna in estuarine waters. This index is a key tool for identifying both the sources and potential causes of pollution that affect water quality in marine environments. Monitoring was carried out during 2022, and the results generated considerable interest among nearby communities. This topic is highly relevant to limnological studies, as it facilitates a better understanding of how wetlands function as ecosystems. Furthermore, through specific analyses, various physicochemical and bacteriological parameters present in the water were determined.