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Water Quality Assessment After Sudden Change of Color at the Sundarban Mangrove Forest

A. K. M. Faruk-E-Azam
Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali-8602.

M. W. Zaman
Professor
Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh, 2202.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The chemical constituents of water in the rivers of the Sundarbans were analyzed at the point of sudden changes of water color due to the unusual behaviour of the southern Bay of Bengal. Water samples were collected from 8 different rivers within the Sundarbans in Shatkhira district in June 2007 at changed condition, and in June 2008 at usual condition. The chemical analyses included the determination of pH, EC, TDS, CI, HC0₃, Na, K, Ca, Mg, S, P, B, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Cd and Pb. The p^Hof water samples of all the rivers were between 7.1 and 7.5. EC and TDS varied from 24.8 to 34.0 dSm^-1" and 24,800 to 40,000 mgL^-1, respectively. As compared to the normal condition, the EC, CI, K, Fe and Cd were 3 times; TDS, S, B and Mn were 2 times; P and Ca were 5 times; Mg was 14 times and Na was marginally higher at the sudden changes of water color. But at normal condition, pH and Cu were marginally higher, Zn level raised around thrice, Pb was around twice and HC0₃ raised around nine times higher than the changed condition. Chloride was detected at toxic level for aquaculture. Most of the ions were found at toxic levels for aquaculture. The concentration of Cd at changed condition and Pb at both the conditions of all the waters exceed the permissible limit for livestock (exceptable range of Cd and Pb for livestock are <0.05 mgL^-1 and <0.1 mgL^-1respectively). Seventeen species of phytoplankton i.e. Asterionella, Biddulphia, Chiarella, Closterium, Coscinodiscus, Cyclotella, Dinophysis, Febella, Naviculla, Nitzschia, Notholkha, Oscillatoria, Suriralla, Tabellarin, Tetraedron, Ulothrix and Volvox were detected. Significant synergistic relationship was found among Ca-CI, Mg-Na, K-CI, K-S, K-B, Na-Cu, CI-S, CI-B and S-B ions. At changed condition antagonistic relation was observed among Mg-Fe, Mg-P, K-Mn, Na-Fe and Mn-S ions reflected antagonistic relation at changed condition. At normal condition, synergistic relation was found among Ca-Mg, Ca-K, Mg-K, Mg-Na, K-Na, Ca-CI, K-CI, Na-CI, Cu-P, Ca-S, Mg-S, K-S, Na-S, Ca-B, Mg-B, K-B, Na-B,P-B, S-B and S-CI ions. But Mg-Fe, K-Fe, Na-Fe, Fe-S and Cu-Cd ions reflected antagonistic relation.

Keywords: Sudden change, Water color, Water quality, Heavy metal, Sundarbans mangrove forest.

Location: Shatkhira district

Start Date: 01-06-2007

End Date: 30-06-2008

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Water quality

Objectives:

To investigate the possible reasons of the sudden changes of sea water color and concomitant changes of its quality.

Methodology:

Water samples were collected from different rivers and at different locations of the Sundarbans adjacent to Shatkhira district during 26 to 28 June, 2007 when water color remained blackish and in the same period of the following year. The name of the rivers and locations of water sample collection were as follows: 1) Kholpetua river, Burigoalini, 2) Chunkuri river, Chunkuri tahol fari, 3) Ichhamoti river, Kadamtola, 4) Arpangashia river, Angoakona, 5) Malancha river, Dobeki, 6) Malancha river, Harivanga, 7) Kalagachhia river, Kalagachhia, and 8) Kapotakha river, Kobadok. Water pH was determined by glass electrode pH meter (Ghosh et al.; 1983). Electrical conductivity (EC) was measured by conductivity meter (Tandon, 1995). Total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured by evaporating water samples to dryness (Chopra and Kanwar, 1980). Chloride was determined by argentometric titration (APHA, 2005). Bicarbonate (HC03-) was determined titrimetrically (Tandon,1995). Azomethine-H was used for colorimetric analysis of boron (Sparks, 1996) and phosphorus was determined colorimetrically using SnCl₂ as a reducing agent (Tandon, 1995). Potassium and sodium were determined by using flame photometer (Ghosh et al., 1983). Sulphur was determined turbidimetrically (Tandon, 1995). Calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, lead and cadmium were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (APHA, 2005). The presence of trace amount of alcoholic substance was detected (Khaleque, 1971). The species of phytoplankton were detected by microscopic study (Mitra et. al., 2004).

Source of Information: SAARC JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE Vol. 8, Issue 2, 2010, pp. 76-86, ISSN 1682-8348, SAARC Agricultural Information Centre.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The color of sea water is a subject of both scientific study and popular misconception. While relatively small quantities of water are observed to be colorless, pure water has a slight blue color that becomes a deeper blue as the thickness of the observed sample increases. Usually impurities dissolved or suspended in water may give water different colored appearances. Plant or animal life, organic detritus, or sedimentary particles present in any degree of concentration at all immediately affect the colour of a water mass. This is obvious in such cases as flooded muddy rivers entering the sea or a lake. The degree of colour-change is more subtle, however, when concentrations of particles, whether animal, vegetable or mineral are not so great, and especially when the inherent colour of the particles is not strong, as is so with many of the marine organisms concerned with discoloration.

Knowledge Management: Journal