A team of lecturers and students from the Environmental Science Doctoral Program at the Graduate School of Padjadjaran University conducted important research on water quality in the upstream Citarum River, a major concern in the context of environmental sustainability. The study, published in the journal Biodiversitas (Vol. 25 No. 2, 2024), titled “Water Quality Assessment of Rivers Based on Phytoplankton Biological Integrity Index in Rural Areas of the Upstream Citarum River, West Java, Indonesia,” involved researchers from the Department of Environmental Science and Chemistry and students receiving PMDSU (Master’s Education Leading to a Doctorate for Excellent Graduates) scholarships.

This research highlights how intensive agricultural activities in the Cihawuk area of ​​Kertasari District—such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides—disrupt the ecological balance through runoff that pollutes the water body. Using phytoplankton-based biological indices, the research team successfully measured the river’s ecological condition based on the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, the Palmer index, and the diatom index. The results showed that the phytoplankton density reached 4,105 cells/L, dominated by Coelastrum and Trachelomonas species, two common indicators of waters polluted by organic matter. The diatom index value indicated very low water quality (<0.2), indicating high pollution pressure.

Contribution to SDGs:
This research significantly contributes to the achievement of SDG 6: Clean Water and Adequate Sanitation, by providing scientific data based on microbial biodiversity for water quality evaluation. Furthermore, this study contributes to SDG 14 (Water Ecosystems), with its focus on preserving the quality of aquatic environments, and SDG 15 (Terrestrial Ecosystems), due to the link between agricultural practices and environmental degradation. Through an interdisciplinary approach and the participation of doctoral students, this research also supports SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 13: Action on Climate Change, particularly in the context of monitoring the impacts of land-use change on freshwater ecosystems.