Use of multiple criteria for eutrophication assessment of coastal waters

The quality assessment of coastal waters of a tourist resort, on the basis of water quality criteria was attempted by using different quantitative approaches. Five variables related to eutrophication, that is nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, phosphate and chlα were analyzed. Graphical methods were applied to all variables as well as unvariate statistical methods on the total inorganic nitrogen. Cluster analysis based on the five variables was also applied as an approach for numerical classification of the coastal waters. Comparison between the unvariate and multivariate methods used, was attempted to assess the validity of the procedures. The suitability of the methods used in coastal water management is also discussed.