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Heavy Metals Contamination Assessment of Water and Soils in and Around Barapukuria Coal Mine Area, Bangladesh

Md. Hafijur Rahaman Khan
Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China and Department of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Jessore University of Science and Technology, Jessore, Bangladesh

Ashraf Ali Seddique
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Ananna Rahman
1. Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China and Department of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, 2. Jessore University of Science and Technology, Jessore, Bangladesh

Yuta Shimizu
Western Region Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

In order to evaluate the heavy metals contamination of groundwater in the Barapukuria Coal Mine (BCM) area and its vicinity, nine groundwater samples from a different location, two wastewater either treated and/or untreated that were used to irrigate in and around the coal mine areas, three surficial soil samples (~20cm depth) and a coal dust sample were collected during March, 2015. The samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). Each sample was analyzed for As, Mn, Fetotal, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo, Ni, Co, Cr, Cd and Hg. It was found that As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mo, Co, Cr, Cd and Hg did not exhibit significantly elevated levels, but the concentration of Mn, Fetotal and Ni ranging from 0.15 to 3.85mg/L, 0 to 1.88mg/L and 0.01 to 0.09mg/L respectively both in groundwater and mine wastewater samples exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO, 2004) drinking water guideline values of 0.4mg/L of Mn, 0.3 mg/L of Fe and of 0.02mg/L of Ni. Similarly, the mean heavy metal concentrations in soils were below the Bangladesh standards for all heavy metals but the maximum values of Co (137.25 to 245.24mg/kg), Cr (139.02 to 243.38mg/kg) and Hg (0 to 24.28mg/kg) also exceeded the maximum acceptable limit of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 1992) (Co of 50mg/kg, Cr of 100mg/kg) and Environment Agency (EA, 2009) (Hg of 1mg/kg) guideline standard. However, the coal dust was not above the guideline-recommended limit for any elements. Therefore, this study reveals that the use of treated and/or untreated coal mine wastewater for irrigation has increased the risk of heavy metals contamination in groundwater and causing potential health hazards in the long time term.

Keywords: Barapukuria, Groundwater, Heavy Metals, Contamination, Coal Mine

Location: Dinajpur district, the north-western part of Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Heavy metal in soil, Heavy metal in water, Coal mining area

Objectives:

To evaluate heavy metals concentration of soil and water being used for drinking, cooking or irrigation as well as their relationship with the groundwater chemistry.

Methodology:

The study area is located in the Parbatipur Upazila, Dinajpur district, the north-western part of Bangladesh. Geographically, the study area is lies between the longitudes 88°56'31''E to 88°58'05''E and the latitude 25°32'17''N to 25°33'51''N, respectively. The choice of the sampling points considered location, accessibility, proximity to residential areas and the adjacent outside area of the coal mine. In this study, (i) nine groundwater samples in different depth (70~220ft.) were chosen randomly in and around the coal mine areas, (ii) two coal mine wastewater samples either treated and/or untreated among them one was drained by the coal mine and the other one was irrigated and/or drained by Barapukuria Coal Power Plant (BCPP), (iii) three surficial soils (up to 20cm depth) near the drainage outlet of BCM and BCPP in the paddy field and (iv) a coal dust sample sieved from drainage water of BCM were collected during March, 2015. The collected water samples were filtered (Whatman no. 42) and preserved with 6N of nitric acid (HNO₃) for further analysis and solid (Soil and coal dust) samples were digested by EPA (3050B) Method. Each sample was analyzed for Fetotal, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ni, Co, Cr, Mn, Pb, Cd, Hg and As using Induced Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrophotometer (ICP-MS) to evaluate their concentration levels at National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan. The results obtained were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO, 2004), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 1992), Environment Agency (EA, 2009) and also Bangladesh (2009) guideline standard for the specified maximum contaminant level of heavy metals.

Source of Information: American Journal of Environmental Protection, 2017; 6(4): 80-86; ISSN: 2328-5680 (Print); ISSN: 2328-5699 (Online)

Article Link (Online Journal): doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.20170604.11. (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajep)

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The presence of high concentrations of Mn, Fetotal and Ni i.e., 82%, 36% and 36% respectively of the studied samples above the WHO, 2004 drinking water guidelines values that are large enough to be considered a public health concern. Thereafter, the concentrations of Co, Cr and Hg in the surficial soils were higher than the safe values which indicates that the soils around BCM area has been contaminated at a moderate to higher polluted level. This study suggested that point sources of heavy metals in the water and soils should be closely monitored; improvement of conditions and industrial (of BCM and BCPP) effluent and waste discharge should be reduced.

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