Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 23 No 2 (2019): 300 - 311

SEASONAL VARIATION AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN SURFACE WATERS OF THE GANGES RIVER (NORTHWESTERN BANGLADESH)

(Variasi Bermusim dan Penilaian Risiko Ekologi Terhadap Pencemaran Logam Berat di Permukaan Air Sungai Ganges (Barat Utara Bangladesh))

Md. Ayenuddin Haque¹, Md. Abu Sayed Jewel¹, Jakia Hasan², Md. Mazharul Islam³, Sharif Ahmed³, Lubna Alam⁴*

¹Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture,

University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh

²Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute,

Marine Fisheries & Technology Station, Cox’s Bazar-4700, Bangladesh

³Marine Fisheries Academy,

Fish Harbour, Isanagore, Chittagong-4000, Bangladesh

⁴Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI),

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: lubna762120@gmail.com

Received: 20 April 2018; Accepted: 11 February 2019

Abstract

The present work is evaluating the seasonal variation in metal pollution and the ecological risk indices of surface water of the Ganges River (Northwestern Bangladesh). Concentrations of Cr, Pb, Ni, Cd, As, Cu and Zn in surface water samples were determined by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The level of heavy metals did not exceed the permissible limits of drinking water according to Department of Environment (DOE), Bangladesh and World Health Organization (WHO). Only Cr and Cd concentrations exceeded the permissible limits for aquatic life standards of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) showed that the seasonal contamination level followed the order: summer (136.13 (DoE), 220.72 (WHO) and 163.95 (USEPA, CCME)) > winter (57.38 (DoE), 91.36 (WHO) and 72.81 (USEPA, CCME)) > monsoon (16.49 (DoE), 25.36 (WHO) and 19.44 (USEPA, CCME)). Additionally, the HPI value crossed the critical index value (100) for drinking and aquatic life standard during summer season. The metal index (MI) value showed that the water was moderately (DoE), strongly (WHO) and seriously affected (USEPA, CCME) by heavy metals during summer season (3.15, 4.79 and 9.99 according to DoE, WHO and USEPA, CCME, respectively). While the ecology of the river is presently at low risk, this study suggests taking necessary measures to prevent the present pollution rate of contaminants from rising in the future.

Keywords: heavy metals, surface water, ecological risk indices, metal index

Abstrak

Kajian ini menilai variasi bermusim pencemaran logam dan indeks risiko ekologi bagi permukaan air di Sungai Ganges (Barat utara Bangladesh). Kepekatan Cr, Pb, Ni, Cd, As, Cu dan Zn dalam sampel permukaan air ditentukan oleh spektofotometri nyalaan serapan atom. Berdasarkan Jabatan Alam Sekitar (DoE) Bangladesh dan Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO), tahap logam berat tidak melebihi paras yang dibenarkan bagi air minum. Hanya kepekatan Cr dan Cd melebihi had yang dibenarkan untuk piawaian akuatik badan Agensi Perlindungan Alam Sekitar Amerika Syarikat (USEPA) dan Majlis Menteri-Menteri Alam Sekitar Kanada (CCME). Indeks pencemaran logam berat (HPI) menunjukkan bahawa tahap pencemaran bermusim mengikuti susunan: musim panas (136.13 (DoE), 220.72 (WHO) dan 163.95 (USEPA, CCME))> musim sejuk (57.38 (DoE), 91.36 (WHO) (USEPA, CCME)) > monsun (16.49 (DoE), 25.36 (WHO) dan 19.44 (USEPA, CCME)). Di samping itu, nilai HPI mencapai nilai indeks kritikal (100) untuk piawai air minuman dan hidupan akuatik semasa musim panas. Nilai indeks logam (MI) menunjukkan bahawa airnya sederhana (DoE), kuat (WHO) dan serius terjejas (USEPA, CCME) oleh logam berat pada musim panas (3.15, 4.79 dan 9.99 berdasarkan DOE, WHO dan USEPA). Walaupun ekologi sungai pada masa ini berisiko rendah, kajian ini bercadang untuk mengambil langkah-langkah yang perlu untuk mencegah kadar pencemaran semasa daripada meningkat pada masa akan datang.

Kata kunci: logam-logam berat, permukaan air, indeks risiko ekologi, indeks logam

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