Water and Sound Analysis

Donaustadtbrücke, Vienna, Austria

Sound Analysis

Date: 02.09.2024 

Time: 13.00 hrs.

Location: A Unique Soundscape by the Harbor

Step into a moody, overcast day near a charming small harbor. While the wind is gentle, the atmosphere buzzes with the subtle activity of the surroundings. Located conveniently close to the S-Bahn train station, this spot offers a fascinating auditory experience:

  • The Pulse of Transport: The rhythmic hum of passing trains and the occasional roar of airplanes overhead mix seamlessly with the harbor’s essence.
  • Harbor Life in Motion: Motorboats glide across the water, creating ripples and waves that resonate along the shoreline, adding texture to the soundscape.
  • Beneath the Surface: With no fish to interrupt the underwater serenity, listen closely to the high-frequency symphony of motorboat engines beneath the waves—a rarely captured perspective.
  • The Quiet Void: Not a chirp in sight! The absence of birds makes way for a sharper focus on the human-made and natural aquatic sounds.

Considerations:

The environment was highly polluted with trash on the grass and Photo location water. The sound environment was as well plenty of sounds by human origin.

  • It is remarkable how the intensity of the high frequencies increasesunder the water for the sound of motorboat. This must be a cause of damage of the underwater wildlife, as they disturb the behavior and orientation of fishes
  • Under the water, the frequencies take so long before they disappear. The boat can be almost one kilometer from the recorder and can be audible in very high frequency perfectly.
  • However, the strong sounds from the surface as the train does not pass the water line, so they are little audible under the water. This is probably because the different densities of the mediums and the so related speed of the sound on them.

Water Analysis

The water quality of the Danube River in Vienna, based on the analyzed parameters in sampling Donaustadtbrücke – V2, reveals both compliance with and exceedance of several limits for key water quality indicators.

The temperature (21.6°C), conductivity (442 µS/cm), and TDS (293 ppm) are well within acceptable thresholds. Salinity (191 ppm) is also within the expected range, and pH (8.12) and dissolved oxygen (9 mg-O2/L) are within safe limits, supporting healthy aquatic life. Nitrates (1.6 mg-N/L) and nitrites (0.007 mg-N/L) are below the regulatory limits, while ammonium (0.07 mg-N/L) remains far below the threshold. Heavy metals like lead (1.3 µg/L), cadmium (34.5 µg/L), copper (4.4 µg/L), arsenic (3.7 µg/L), and total chromium (6 µg/L) are below the maximum allowed levels, indicating minimal pollution. Total phosphorus (<0.04 mg-P/L), sodium (9.6 mg/L), BOD5 (1.4 mg-O2/L), potassium (4.2 mg/L), and other minerals such as calcium (49.1 mg/L) and magnesium (12.1 mg/L) also conform to the regulatory standards.

However, a few parameters exceed the acceptable limits. The cadmium concentration (34.5 µg/L) greatly surpasses the limit of 0.08 µg/L, which raises concerns about contamination, as this could have toxic effects on aquatic organisms. Similarly, copper (4.4 µg/L) exceeds the recommended maximum of 1.0 mg/L, suggesting potential toxicity for aquatic life. Nickel (11.6 µg/L) also exceeds the 20 µg/L limit, which could indicate pollution from anthropogenic sources. Finally, total organic carbon (TOC, 3.1 mg/L) exceeds the limit of 2 mg/L, which could be indicative of organic pollution that may lead to oxygen depletion in the water.

References:

[1]  European Commission. (2018). Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy (Water Framework Directive). Official Journal of the European Union, L 327/1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu

[2] Österreichisches Bundeskanzleramt. (2024). Gewässerzustandsüberwachungsverordnung (GZÜV), BGBl. II Nr. 96/2006. Retrieved from https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/II/2006/96

[3] World Health Organization (WHO). (2017). Guidelines for drinking-water quality: Fourth edition incorporating the first addendum. WHO. https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/dwq-guidelines-4th/en/

[4]   European Union. (1998). Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption. Official Journal of the European Union, L 330, 32-54. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A31998L0083