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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
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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
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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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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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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.'
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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).
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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
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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
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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
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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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