THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIALIZATION OF DEMAK LAUT INDUSTRIAL PARK ON TIlE RIVER WATER QUALITY

Reena Sabrina Binti Yusuf Latif

Master of Environmental Science (Land Use and Water Resource Management)

2008

PlJsat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik l lNIVERSlll MALAYSIA SARAWAK

P.KHIOMAT MAKLUMAT AKAOEMIK

11'1If tllllli'rnil 11111 III 1000246510

THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIALIZATION OF DEMAK LAUT

INDUSTRIAL PARK ON THE RIVER WATER QUALITY

REENA SABRINA BINTI YUSUF LA TIF

. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master orEnvironmental Science in Land Use and Water Resource Management

Faculty of Resource Science 'and Technology

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARA WAK

2008

. '

Declaration

No portion of the work referred to in this dissertation has been submitted in support of an application for another degree of qualification of this or any other university or institution ofhigher learning.

INA BINT! YUSUF LATIF Matric No. 0603 1449 Programme Master of Environmental Science (Land Use and Water Resource

Management) . Faculty Faculty of Resource Scienc~ and Technology, UNIMAS

I,

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Praise to Allah S.W.T. the Almighty, the Most Merciful for all the blessing and

guidance upon me throughout this study.

While the motivation and hard work in pursuing a master's degree must come

from within, interactions with others have stimulated and sustained me both

professionally and personally during my research career. I want to acknowledge many

people who are professional help and personal support has made it possible for me to

complete this thesis. My heart felt deepest gratitude goes to my thesis supervisor, I Associate Professor Dr. Ling Teck Yee, for all the assistance, knowledge and help during

the thesis proposal and completion.

I would also like to thank both my parents; Mr. Yusuf Latif Bin Yusuf and Mdm.

Raliah Bt Mohd. Jamali; and Mohd Khairuddin Bin Mohd. Kasiran for their prayers. The

love, patience, support and encouragement by family members are also gratefully

acknowledged. FinaUy, but not least, I would like to thank aU the wonderful individuals

who have, in one way or another, generously contributed their knowledge, expertise and

talents.

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11

PUSlit Khidmat Maklumat Akademik UNiVERSn'l MALAYSIA SARAWAK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page ~Acknowledgement ii

Table of Contents III - V

List of Appendices VI

List of Tables Vll

List of Figures Vlll

Abstract IX

Abstrak IX

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Research Background 1 - 3

1.2 Problem Statement 4

1.3 Objectives 5

Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Water Quality 6-7

2.2 River Pollution 8-9

2.3 Industrial Effluents 9 -11

2.4 Water Quality parameter

2.4.1 Temperature 12 - 13

2.4.2 pH 13

2.4.3 Dissolved Oxygen 14

2.4.4 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 15

tI 2.4.5 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 15 - 16

2.4.6 Total suspended Solids (TSS) 16

2.4.7 Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH3-N) 17

2.4.8 Heavy Metals 17 -19

2.4.8.1 Copper (Cu) 19- 20

2.4.8.2 Lead (Pb) 20

III

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Page

2.4.8.3 Mercury (Hg) 21

2.4.8.4 Zinc (Zn) 22" 2.5 Sediment 22-23

2.6 Impact of Industrial Effluent Discharge on 24-25

Environment

2.7 Water Quality Classification 26

Chapter 3 MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 Selection of Sampling Stations 27

3.2 Description of Sampling Locations 27 -28

3.3 Description of Study Area 28 -30

3.4 Parameters Measured 31

3.5 Sampling frequency 31 - 32

3.6 Sampling

3.6.1 In-situ Measurements 33

3.6.2 Water 33

3.6.3 Sediment 33

3.7 Laboratory Analysis

3.7.1 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 34

3.7.2 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 35

3.7.3 Total suspended Solids (TSS) 35

3.7.4 Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH3-N) 35

3.8 River Classification System 36

3.9 J-Ieavy Metal Analysis

3.9.1 Sample Digestion 37

3.9.2 Laboratory Analyses 37.,

3.10 Quality Assurance/ Quality Control 38-39

3.11 Statistical Analysis 39

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Page

Chapter 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

4.1 Description of Study Site "

4.1.1 Physical Environment 40 -41

4.1.2 Biological Environment 42

4.2 Water Quality Parameter Analysis 43

4.2.1 Temperature 44

4.2.2 pH 44-46

4.2.3 Dissolved Oxygen (DO) 46

4.2.4 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 46-47

4.2.5 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 47

4.2.6 Total suspended Solids (TSS) 48

4.2.7 Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH3-N) 48-49

4.3 River Classification System 50

4.4 Overall Discussion on Correlation Analysis 51 - 52

4.5 Concentration of Heavy Metals 53

4.5.1 Trend of Heavy Metal Concentration in 54-58

Water

4.5.2 Trend of Heavy Metal Concentration in 59 -63

Sediment

Chapter 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Conclusions 64

5.2 Recommendations 65

References 66 -73

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LIST OF APPENDICES

" Page Appendix I Result of Water Quality Analysis 74 -77 Appendix IIA Water Samples (Heavy Metal Results) 78 - 81 Appendix lIB Sediment Samples (Heavy Metal Results) 82 - 85 Appendix III National Water Quality Standards for Malaysia 86

Department of Environment (DOE) Water Quality Appendix IV 87

Index Classification

Maximum Allowable Concentrations of Water,Appendix V 88

WHO

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1

I

Table 2.1

Table 3.1

Table 3.2

Table 3.3

Table 3.4

Table 3.5

Table 4.1

Table 4.2

Table 4.3

Table 4.4

Table 4.5

Table 4.6

Table 4.7

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Heavy Metals employed in major industries 11

Location of Sampling Stations 27

Types of Industries under Demak Laut Industrial 29

Park River basin

Date and time of samplings carried out in the Sungai 31

Sarawak

List of Parameters to Analyze 31

The Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Operating 38

Parameters

Mean values of water quality parameters at the 41

sampling points

Water Quality Indices (WQI) for the five sampling 48

stations

The Relationship of Water Quality Parameters 50

Results of Heavy Metals in Water Samples 51

Trend of Heavy Metals in Water for the Three 54

Samplings

Results of Heavy Metals in Sediment Samples 59

Trend of Heavy Metals in Sediment for the Three 59

Samplings

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LIST OF FIGURES

Page" Figure 2.1 Movement of trace metals in hydrological cycle 18

Figure 2.2 The Natural Self-purification Cycle 23

Figure 3.1 Map of Sampling Area 28

Figure 4.1 Typical Home Garden at Kampung Sejingkat 40

Figure 4.2 Typical Home Garden at Kampung Sejingkat 40

Comparison of Zn and Cu in the water with the Figure 4.3 55

regulatory limits

Figure 4.4 Comparison of Pb and Hg in the water with the 56

regulatory limits

Figure 4.5 Comparison of Zn and Cu in the sediment with the 60

regulatory limits

Figure 4.6 Comparison of Pb and Hg in the sediment with the 61

regulatory limits

viii

I

THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIALIZATION OF DEMAK LAUT INDUSTRIAL

PARK ON THE RIVER WATER QUALITY

Reena Sabrina Binti Yusuf Latif

Faculty of Resource Science and Technology Science in Land Use and Water Resource Management Programme

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

ABSTRACT

ncreasing rapid industrialization has exerted immense pressures on water quality by introducing a large variety of chemicals into our environment. When effluents from industries are discharged into river channels, the river water is pol luted physically, biologically and chemically. This study was conducted to analyze the river water quality for Temperature, pH, ~O, BOD, COD, TSS and NH3-N and to assess the extent of heavy metal pollution in the Oemak Laut Industrial Park river system) Water quality parameters such as pH. 00, Temperature, BO~, COD, TSS and NH3-N were monit6red to determine their status in relation to the health of the river ecosystem. Elemental concentrations of Zn, Cu, Hg and Pb were measured. The mean value of water quality parameters are pH, 7.6; Temperature 28.1 oC; ~O, 5.4 mglL; BOD, 4.1 mglL; COD. 45 mglL; TSS, 42.5 mgIL and NH3-N, 0.12 mglL. The highest element present in samples was Zn, 0.09 mglL in water samples and 0. 16 mglkg in sediment samples and the least abundant element was Hg, <0.001 mgIL in both samples. The levels of heavy metals did not exceed the limits designated by Interim National Water Quality Standard INWQS), World Health Organization (WHO) and Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG). The industrial activities and other unsustainable development undertakings have occurred in the surrounding areas of the Oemak Laut Industrial Park. As a result, the impact of these activities may cause some environmental problem to the Sungai Sarawak and adjacent areas by changing the area's hydrological characteristics, which in the long terms may lead to deterioration .

. Key words: water; sediment industrialization; heavy metals

ABSTRAK

Pertumbuhan industrilisasi yang semakin berkembang telah memberikan tekanan kepada kualiti air dan telah menyebarkan bahan kimia kepada persekilaran. Apabila ejJluen dari industri disalurkan ke sungai, ini menyebabkan air sungai tercemar dari aspek jizikal, biologi dan kimia. Kajian telah dilakukan untuk menganalisis air sungai untuk suhu, pH, DO, BOD, COD, TSS and NHr N dan untuk menilai takat pencemaran logam berat di kawasan sungai Demak Laut Industrial Park. Parameter kualili air seperti pH, DO, BOD, COD, TSS and NHrN telah diukur dan hubungkail ~/alusnya kepada keadaan ekosistem sungai telah dilentukan. Kepekatan unsur Zn, Cu, Hg dan Pb ,elah ditentukan. Nilai purata bagi parameter kualiti air adalah pH, 7.6; Temperature 2B.1 °C; DO, 5.4 mglL; BOD, 4.1 mglL; COD, 45 mglL; TSS, 42.5 mglL dan NH3-N, 0.12 mglL. Zn mempunyai kepekaran yang tertingi iailu 0.06 mglL dalam sma pel air lIan 0.16 mglkg dalam sampel sediment manakala Hg mempunyai kepekatan yang terendah iailu <0.001 mglL di dalam kedua-dua sample. Kepe/caran logam berat yang terkandung di dalam sample air dan sediment didapati berada di bawah had yang telah diletapkan oleh Interim National Water Quality Standard INWQS}, World Health Organization (WHO) dan Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG). Aktiviti Industri dan pembangunan yang tidak seimbang telah berlaku di kawasan Oemak Laut Industrial Park. Hasil daripada itu telah menyebabkan masalah alam sekitar dan menyebabkan karakteristik hidrologi berubah dan juga menyebabkan masalah jangka masa yang panjang.

Kola kunci: air sungai; sedimen; industrilisasi; logam berat

IX

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CHAPTER!

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Research Background

The beginning of the new millennium seems to be characterized by steadily

increasing attention being paid to the environment. The dramatic increase in public

awareness and concern about the state of the global and local environments has been

accompanied and partly prompted by an ever-growing body of evidence on the extent to

which pollution has caused severe environmental degradation (Vynavy, 2005). In

addition, the costs of these effects in the depreciation of resources, lost productivity and

in cleaning up or improving polluted environments are high and are increasingly

occupying the attention of governments and politicians around the world (Jacques, 1988).

Many new technologies with aU sorts of capabilities have sprung up. In many

cases, these added capabilities have been used to manipulate the nature for human . benefit, often at the expense of other things. On the other hand, technological

advancement has required that humans come to a better understanding of the world,

bringing with it a greater potential to do good, to manipulate things for the benefit of the

planet (Lenat and Crawford, 1994).

Industrialization has brought prosperity, and at the same time also has resulted in

many environmental problems. It has been recognized that the quality of receiving waters

is "affected by human activities in a watershed via l?oint sources, such as wastewater

treatment facilities, and non-point sources, such as runoff form urban area and farm land

(Lenat and Crawford, 1994; Hall et ai. , 1994). ' .

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Increasing population, rapid industrialization and rapidly intensifying human

activities have exerted immense pressures on water quality. Whenever human and

industrial wastes are not properly managed, surface waters as well as ground waters

become the sink for receiving such wastes. Rapid industrialization has introduced a large

variety of chemicals into our envirorunent. These chemicals enter our ecosystem and

affect man, plant life, aquatic organisms and material. Some of these chemicals have

beneficial uses on one and exert serious health and ecological problems on the other.

When eflluents from industries are discharged into river channels, the river water will be

polluted physically, biologically and chemically. This is due to the increased

concentration of dissolved solids, toxic chemicals, BOD loadings, heavy metals and other

pollutants. Pesticides and weedicides from agricultural areas add to the increasingly

polluted water sources (Ibrahim, 2002).

During the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, the River Irwell has been

considered one of the most polluted rivers in Europe, suffering from organic and

inorganic pollution and unable to sustain life (Dixit and Witcomb, 1983). For this reason,

environmental monitoring has become recognized as being vitally important in detecting

where insidious pollution is occurring, the pollutants involved and the sources.

In terms of industrial development in Kuching, the Free Industrial Zone (HZ) has

expanded and there are now hundreds of factories located in the Demak Laut Industrial

Park. Demak Laut Industrial Park is located at lalan Bako, Kuching. It is about 14 km

from Kuching city center and accessible from Pending Industrial Estate via the Sungai

Sarawak Barrage or Jalan Bako via the Bako causeway. The individual industrial lots are

acc6Ssible by way of jntemal tar-sealed motorable roads and facilitated by excellent

infrastructures. Its ideal location as an industrial park is 'further enhanced by the deep sea

port facilities provided by the Senari Terqlinal which provides better logistics.

2

Demak Laut Industrial Park was established in 1988 with a total planned area for

industrial/residential/commercial of 1,571 hectares to specially cater for mixed light and

medium industries. The type of industries preferred are wood-based, food processing,

metal work, machineries assembly and shipbuilding or repair services. This is followed

by the fabricated metals sector engaged in the manufacturing ofjigs and fixtures, stamped

metal parts, injection steel moulds and wire harness. Other types of industries are the

plastic sector, flour and basic metal sector (Sarawak Property Bulletin, 2005).

Industry is the greatest source of pollution, accounting for more than half the

volume of all water pollution and for the most deadly pollutants. Wastewater discharged

from the factory has polluted rivers. The waste-bearing water, or effluent from the

factories located at the Demak Industrial Park, is discharged into the Sungai Sarawak

river basins which in turn disperse the polluting substances. The pollutants include grit,

asbestos, phosphates and nitrates, mercury, lead, caustic soda and other sodium

compounds, sulfur and sulfuric acid, oils, and petrochemicals.

Besides that, the manufacturing plants pour off undiluted corrosives, poisons, and

other noxious byproducts. The construction. industry discharges slurries of gypsum,

cement, abrasives, metals, and poisonous solvents to the river basins. Another pervasive

group of contaminants entering food chains is the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)

compounds, components of lubricants, plastic wrappers, and adhesives. In addition

another instance of pollution, hot water discharged by factories causes the thermal

pollution by increasing the water temperatures. Besides that, the hot water discharge also

can increase the level of dissolved oxygen in a body of water and disrupting the water's

ec~logical balance, killing off some flora and fauna species while encouraging the . overgrowth of others (Dixit and Witcomb, 1983). The water pollution can threaten human

health when pollutants enter the body vi!! skin exposure or through the direct

consumption ofcontaminated food or drinking water.

3

1.2 Problem Statement

With the exponential increase of industrialization, there are many free industrial

zones in our country and there are now hundreds of factories located in Demak Laut

Industrial Park. It has proven troublesome and the problem is aggregated by the hundred

numbers of factories in the Demak Laut Industrial Park. The current rate of

industrialization has caused a rise in environmental issues involving environmental

mismanagement which has been associated with unforeseen global catastrophes.

A single pollutant discharged by a specific industrial complex such as galvanizing

factory in Demak Laut Industrial Park may not be hannful in and of itself, but it may very

well cause unimaginable problems by combining with other materials in the natural

environment. In the early stages of industrialization, primary sectors of industry may be

the victims of environmental destruction, but as industrialization advances these primary

sectors almost always come to depend on heavy industries, as is the case with chemical

fertilizers and insecticides, and as such become a new source of environmental problems.

Contamination by hundreds of pollutants through industrial discharges into the river can

give bad effects to the river water as well as to the aquatic ecosystem.

Improper understanding and discharge of wastewater from the industries to the

river continues to be a hot issue among the environmentalist, public as well as to the

government. Releases of final discharge from the factories at the Demak Industrial Park,

which is contents with varieties of chemicals and pollutants to the river water may

degrade environmental quality and result in the destruction of ecosystems and their flora

or fauna, bioaccumulation of chemicals in food chains, and or short- or long- tenn human

health effects in the exposed population. Hence, it is crucial to monitor the concentrations

of heavy metals to prevent addition of excess amounts of metals release to groundwater/

land and eventually to the aquatic ecosystem.'

4

Pusat Khidmat Mllklumat Aka~ UNIVERSm MALAYSIA S~

1.3 Objectives

Research Objectives:

• To detennine the river water quality based on a number of parameters and to

compare it with the Malaysian Water Quality Guidelines.

• To analyze the river water quality for temperature (T), pH, dissolved oxygen

(DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD),

total suspended solids (TSS) and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N).

• To analyze the concentration level of heavy metals such as Zn, Pb, Cu, and Hg in

water and sediment samples using AAS techniques.

• To compare the results of elemental concentration in this study with the

recommended level by the International National Water Quality Standard

(NWQS) for Malaysia, World Health Organization and Environmental Protection

Agency United State and Interim Quality Sediment Guidelines (IQSG).

5

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Water Quality

Water is an extraordinary chemical compound of absolutely fundamental

environmental importance. It is often being described as 'the universal solvent' or 'the

liquid of life' (Harrison, 1992). According to Ali & Murtedza (1999), water is one of the

most important elements in the environment that plays a key role in the biological,

physical and chemical processes and it is a unifying factor in most ecosystems.

Water covers some 71% of the earth's surface and is itself the medium for several

different ecosystems. All natural elements are soluble, at least in trace amounts, and all

are found in natural water at some place on the earth's surface. Water is a major reservoir

for storing nutrients and other biologically important materials, and it is the main medium

in which these materials move from the abiotic to the biotic part of the ecosystem

(Clapham, 1983). Like other natural resources, water resource is at constant risk of being

further degraded and gradually become limited.

Water quality refers to the physical, biological and chemical status of the water

body. Streams and rivers are typically diverse and biologically productive environments

in their natural form. The presence, abundance, diversity and distribution of aquatic

species in surface waters are dependent upon a myriad of physical and chemical factors,

• such as temperature, suspended solids, pH, nutrients, chemicals, and in-stream and

riparian habitats. Until recently, the dominant methods of evaluating water quality are

based on water chemical and, to some extent, physical properties (Wang, 2001).

Over the past decades, the natural quality of watercourses has been altered by the

impact of various human activities and water uses. Most pollution situations have

evolved gradually over time until they have become apparent and measurable (Meybeck

6

et al., 1989). The uptrend in population, urbanization and industrialization in the country

has brought in water related problems such as water pollution. The squatter area, for

example, may convert a river into an open wastewater sewer should there be no proper

waste water treatment in place. Urban dwellers and industrial sites are a major source of

pollution to the water environment. Besides that, direct sewage, untreated industrial

effluent and sediment-laden runoff have become the main pollution factors. Water

pollution seriously hinders and limits the availability of water supply resources. It

endangers human health, shortens the average life span expectancy of the country's

population and destroys aquatic lives and its biodiversities (Keizrul, 2006). All these

rainfall, industrialization, urbanization, irrigation intensity of agriculture and fertilizer use

are very important factors affecting the water quality.

There are several studies on the impacts of industrialization on water quality in

Malaysia. Law (1980) has studied the effect of sewage by domestic discharge in the Sg.

Kelang where high levels of faecal coliform counts have been recorded. Meanwhile, the

Ministry of Environment had reported in November 1995, that two out of three rivers in

the COWltry are polluted. Only 28 % of rivers are classified as clean. River water quality

in the country had deteriorated by 1.2% per year in the last decade. Industrial wastes were

the major source of pollution (Consumers Association of Penang - Sahabat Alam

Malaysia, 1996). As for heavy metal pollution, in the year 1996, 53 rivers were polluted

with cadmium, 44 rivers with ferum, 36 rivers with lead, 24 rivers with mercury and

copper and 4 rivers polluted with chromium and zinc, according to Kadaruddin (2000).

Water pollution and consumption by rural industry are related to the type of

industrial activity. The major water polluters include an array of industries such as paper

and pulp milling, chemical manufacturing, metal casdng, and brick making that produce

large quantities of wastewater, adding nitro,gen, phosphates, phenols, cyanide, lead,

cadmium, mercury and other pollutants to the water near rural residential areas- the same

water that is used for drinking (Wang, et al.) 2007).

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2.2 River Pollution

The main sources of river water pollution are discharge of domestic sewage and

industrial effluents, which contain organic pollutants, chemical and heavy metals, and

run-off from land-based activities such as agriculture. Due to growing irrigation intensity

of agriculture and the high rates of abstraction of ground and surface water for this

purpose, rivers at many places do not have sufficient water for dilution of industrial

effluents/domestic sewage, aggravating thereby the problem of water pollution

(Bishwanath and Nandini, 2004).

Rivers in Malaysia have made immense contributions to the overall development

of this country (DID, 1992). In many ways, rivers are sources of life, providing water

supply for the people, irrigation for agriculture, as a means of transportation, a source of

food in fisheries, hydro-electric power, and water use for industries. Rivers are also the

habitats for riverine and aquatic flora and fauna and the environment supports a rich

biodiversity of life forms. Unfortunately, rivers also provide easy conduits for the

discharge of varying domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural effluents via their

natural function as drainage channels for flood mitigation (Chan et ai., 2003)

Rivers, as the arteries of natural water resource, supply water for domestic and

industrial usage and irrigation. In Malaysia, water is needed for drinking water supply,

sanitation, agriculture, industrialization, urbanization, fisheries, transportation, and

recreation and to produce hydroelectric power (Vynavy, 2005).

In Malaysia, li~e other countries of the world, the level of metal pollution of

freshwater bodies, especially the rivers, is no longer within safe limits for human

consumption. In the year 2002, the Department of Environment (DOE) reported that

industries such as textile, metal finishing and electroplating, food and beverages, and

animal feed could not achieve more than 65% compliance. Some industries were

operating either without effluent treatment system (ETP) or with inefficient ETP. These

. 8

industries had difficulty in complying with parameters such as nickel, copper, lead, zinc

and iron (DOE, 2002).

Domestic sewage, palm oil mills, rubber factories, industrial wastewater and

piggeries are the principal contributors of pollutants in Malaysia (Maketab, 1993; DOE,

1998). In many urban and industrial areas, organic pollution of water from both point and

non-point sources have resulted in environmental problems and adversely affected river

water quality and the habitats of aquatic flora and fauna (Chan et al., 2003). According to

Keizrul (2002), the worse cases of pollution are when rivers flow through urban areas as

they are subjected to heavy solid and liquid waste disposal from squatter settlements,

drainage effluents from commercial area, food centre and wet markets, residual

hydrocarbon from urban traffic and workshops, and excessive silt loads from land

clearings. In Klang Valley alone, an estimated 80 tons of solid wastes end up in Sg.

Kelang alone daily.

In addition, the trace metals in such waters may undergo rapid changes affecting

the rate of uptake or release by sediments thus influencing living organisms via the water

sediment chain.

2.3 Industrial Emuents

Industries that use large amounts of water for processing have the potential to

pollute waterways through the discharge of their waste into streams and rivers, or by run­

off and seepage of stored wastes into nearby water sources (Chan et al., 2003). Industrial

waste consists of both organic and inorganic substances. Organic wastes include pesticide

residues, solvents and cleaning fluids, dissolved residue from fruit and vegetables, and

lignin from pulp and paper. Effluents can also contain inorganic wastes such as brine

salts and metals. Industries which use large amounts of water in their processes include

chemical manufacturers, steel plants, metal processors, textile manufacturers, petroleum

refining, pulp and paper (Chan et al., 2003).

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Water pollution by toxic chemicals present in industrial waste effiuent is a

worldwide problem now. Both developed and developing countries are seriously affected

due to this water pollution. Consequently, major water pollution in Malaysia is also ,;

caused by the discharge of industrial effluents. Many industries discharge wastes

containing different inorganic compounds including heavy metals into natural freshwater

bodies without prior treatment. However, the point sources of pollution in Malaysia come

in the form of forest cleaning and earthworks, industrial effiuents and wastes typically the

agrobased industrial point sources (namely rubber and oil palm mills), domestic or

animal farming sewage (DOE, 2002). The Department of Environment (2002) also

reported that industries such as tannery, chemical-based, electrical and electronic

industries achieved average compliance of 81 %, 85 % and 86 % respectively.

However, industries like paper, textile, metal finishing and electroplating, food

and beverages, and animal feed could not achieve more than 65 % compliance. In 2003,

129 premises or companies were taken to court and fined a total of RM 1 901 300.00 for

offences under the Environmental Quality Act, 1974. Out of the total number of cases,

(43%) cases involved offences for polluting inland waters through discharges of effluent

above the stipulated standard under section·25(1) of the Environmental Quality Act, 1974

(DOE, 2003).

Furthermore, industries designated with the sources of heavy metals pollution are

many and varied. One such listing is presented here in Table 2.1. The ten most common

toxic heavy metals are shown to be associated with the twelve groupings of main

industries. Most types of industries are important as far as heavy metal pollution is

. concerned, but a few, such as the fertilizer and basic steel works industries involve much

more heavy metals than the textile mill product or leather and finishing (Forstner­

Wittman, 1981).

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Table 2.1: Heavy Metals employed in major industries (Forstner-Wittman, 1981)

Emuents I Cd Cr Cu Fe IHg I

' Mn Pb Ni Sn Zn

Pulp, paper mills,

paperboard, building paper ./ ./ ./ ./

'" ./ ./

Organic chemicals,

petrochemicals ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./

Alkalis, Chlorine,

inorganic, chemicals ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./

Fertilizers ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./

Petroleum refining I ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./

Basic steel works foundries ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./

Basic nonferrous

metalwork, foundries ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./

Motor vehicles, aircraft

plating finishing ./ ./ ./ . ./ ./

Flat glass, cement, asbestos

product ./

Textile mill product ./

Leather tanning, finishing ./

Stearn generation power

plants ./

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2.4 Water Quality Parameter

In broad term, water quality refers to the physical, biological and chemical states

of the water body. Water quality is important not only because of the availability of water

for various uses and its impact on public health, but also because water quality has

intrinsic value. The quality of life is often judged on the availability of pristine waters.

Contamination of water effects the present and future generations. The presence,

abundanoe, diversity and distribution of aquatic species in surface water too, dependent

on this water quality matter (Lawson, 1995).

2.4.1 Temperature

Water temperature affects some of the important physical properties and

characteristic of water quality such as density, specific weight, surface tension, thermal

capacity, and some chemical properties.

Water temperature is the environmental parameter having the greatest effect on

fish. Water temperature greatly influences- physiological processes such as respiration

rates, efficiency of feeding and assimilation, growth, behavior, and reproduction (Meade,

1989; Tucker and Robinson, 1990). Temperature also affects oxygen solubility and

causes interactions of several other water quality parameters (Lawson, 1995). A

temperature increase of 10DC will generally cause rates of chemical and biological

reactions to double or triple.

For example, fish will consume two to three times as much oxygen at 30DC than

they would at 20°C, and their biochemical reactions' will double or triple. Because of this,

dissolved oxygen requirements are more critical in warm water than cold water.

Temperature also indirectly affects those water quality variables besides regulating some

biological activities (Boyd & Tucker, 1998). The relationship between temperature and

water quality variables can attributed to temperature-dependence of chemical reaction

12

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rates equilibrium constants, solubility products, gas behaviors, and other physiochemical

processes.

2.4.2 pH

pH is the measurement of the acidity or alkalinity (basic) of a solution. Acids

have a lower pH (below 7) and bases a higher pH (8-14) because the pH scale is a -log

scale. pH is influenced by several factors including the mineral content of surrounding

natural resources and human activity. Some species of organisms are very sensitive to the

pH of water; the pH of their aquatic environment influences reproduction, health, and

survival (Lawson, 1995).

Most natural waters have pH within the range between 5 and 10 (Boyd, 1990).

The pH concentration can change according to the influences of many factors such as

pollution, man-made modifications, and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, fish

respiration, and decay of organic matter and also oxidation of compounds in bottom

sediments (Boyd, 1990)

2.4.3 Dissolved Oxygen

DO is the amount of oxygen dissolved in water. The presence of oxygen in water

is an indication of good water quality, and the absence of oxygen is a signal of severe

pollution. DO is needed by wide range of organisms that live in water. Sudden or gradual

depletion in DO can cause major shifts in the kinds of aquatic organisms from pollution

intolerant species to pollution tolerant species. DO levels in the range of 5 - 8 mg/L

indicates good water quality. DO density should be hot less than 2 mg/L to maintain

higher life form. Fish oxygen consumptiqn rates vary with water temperature,

environmental DO concentration, fish size, level of activity, and time of feeding

(Lawson, 1995).

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