title: Evaluation of surface water quality characteristics by using multivariate statistical techniques: a case study of the Euphrates river basin, Turkey.
abstract: The surface water quality of the Euphrates river basin in Turkey are evaluated by using the multivariate statistical techniques known as factor analysis (FA) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis. When FA was applied to the water quality data obtained from the 15 different surface water quality monitoring stations, two factors were identified, which were responsible from the 86.02% of the total variance of the water quality in the Euphrates river basin. The first factor called the urban land use factor explained 44.20% of the total variance and the second factor called the agricultural use factor explained 41.81% of the total variance. MDS technique showed that electrical conductivity (EC), percent sodium (Na%) and total salt are the most important variables causing difference in the water quality analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Elementary Education, Faculty of Education, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Meşelik, 26480, Eskişehir, Turkey. cfilik@ogu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Cansu Filik
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Işçen
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altin
authors.forename: Birdal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Senoğlu
authors.forename: H Serhan
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yavuz
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D014421:Turkey; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*