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Metal Pollution in Water and Sediment of the Buriganga River, Bangladesh: an Ecological Risk Perspective

Md. Ahedul Akbora
Corresponding authors:
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

Md. Mostafizur Rahmana
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

Md. Bodrud-Dozac
Climate Change Programmee, BRAC, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh

Md. Morshedul Haquea
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

Md. Abu Bakar Siddiqueb
Institute of National Analytical Research and Service (INARS), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh

Md. Aminul Ahsanb
Institute of National Analytical Research and Service (INARS), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh, emails: sagor.bcsir@gmail.com (M.A.B. Siddique), aahsan_61@yahoo.com (M.A. Ahsan)

Serene Ezra Corpus Bondadd
Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, 060-0810 Sapporo, Japan

Md. Khabir Uddin
Corresponding authors:
Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Both industrial and domestic wastewater are drained into the Buriganga River, Dhaka, Bangladesh. In order to screen metal pollutant levels and to assess ecological risks, this study was conducted on water and sediment samples from the Buriganga River. A total of 13 metals in water and sediment samples were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. For sediment samples, the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), potential ecological risk index, and pollution load index (PLI) were calculated. The Igeo increased in order of Ag > Pb > Cu > Zn > Hg > Cd > Cr > Co > Ni > As > Se > Sb > Be > Tl in both summer and winter seasons. The CFs identified major contaminating (moderate to very high) metals to be Ag, Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg, and Cd. Hg and Cd posed the highest ecological risk in the study area, and 86% of samples showed moderate (95–190) to considerable (190–380) ecological risk index. PLI attributed ~71% of the sampling site are polluted (PLI > 1) in both seasons. For water samples, the degree of contamination (Cd ), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), heavy metal pollution index (HPI), and Nemerow index (NI) were calculated. Cd showed ~86% of the water samples have low to high degree of contamination, while HEI reflects 28% of the samples were highly polluted and HPI indicated 86% of samples were low to highly polluted. In addition, NI revealed that the river water is severely polluted by metals.

Keywords: Priority metals, Mercury, Ecological risk, Geo-accumulation index, Pollution

Location: Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Heavy metal in water, Pollution

Objectives:

To demonstrate the status of all priority metals in the Buriganga River

Methodology:

Sampling site and sample collection: The Buriganga River flows past the southwest outskirts of Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. Its average depth is 7.6 m and its maximum depth is 18 m. The study focused on the Sadarghat port at the bank of the Buriganga River. With a rich history dating back thousands of years, the port now serves as a point of travel to millions of passengers heading to different destinations within Bangladesh. The unplanned and excessive industrial and commercial activities have affected the overall quality of the port and its environment. Water and sediment samples were collected from eight sampling sites around the Sadarghat area during the period of summer and winter seasons in 2017. Using non-transparent plastic bottles, samples in each location were collected three times, with 15 d intervals between collections. Prior to sampling, the plastic bottles used for the collection were cleaned with detergent and treated with 10% (v/v) nitric acid solution overnight. Then, bottles were washed with deionized water and air-dried. During sampling, bottles were pre-washed with sampling water, filled with the desired samples, and immediately sealed to avoid air exposure. Collected samples were preserved with 0.5 mL concentrated nitric acid and stored in an ice chest with a temperature of 4°C. Sediment samples were collected using a stainless-steel scoop and stored in airtight polyethylene bags with the necessary labeling. Before collecting each sediment sample, the sampling scoop was washed with deionized water and rinsed several times using the sample sediment mixture in order to avoid possible contamination. The river bed sediment samples were collected at a depth of 0–15 cm from the top surface with a mass of about 500 g each. Sediment samples were air-dried at room temperature (25°C). The heterogeneous particle size fraction was homogenized by grinding using an agitate mortar and was stored in carefully marked glass bottles until chemical analyses were carried out. Materials used and sample analysis: All reagents used in the analyses were analytical grade and purchased from Merck, Germany. A high precision calibrated electrical balance GR-200 (A&D Company Limited, Tokyo, Japan) was used for weighing all samples. Glassware, including pipettes and volumetric flasks, were also calibrated and cleaned prior to experimentation. Deionized water was prepared by RF ultrapure water system (Barnstead) and was ensured to have a resistance greater than 18.0 MΩ-cm and conductivity less than 0.2 µS cm^–1. Sediment samples digestion procedure: About 10 g of sediment samples were weighed in clean and dry beakers. Afterward, 20 mL concentrated nitric acid and 10 mL concentrated perchloric acid were added to each sample. Digestion was carried out through boiling over a hotplate with a temperature of 180°C–200°C until samples were almost dry. Water sample digestion process: Using a pipette, 100 mL of the collected water sample was transferred to a 250 mL beaker. About 4–5 mL of concentrated nitric acid was added and the beaker was placed on a hot plate for digestion until a clear solution is obtained. Afterward, the sample was transferred into a 100 mL volumetric flask and filled to the mark with deionized water. Chemical analysis: The digested samples were analyzed for Pb, Cd, Cr, Se, Sb, Tl, Cu, Ni, Ag, and Be using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Model: AA240Z, Varian, Australia). Zn was analyzed through a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Model: AA240FS, Varian, Australia). Statistical analysis: Pearson’s correlation (r) matrices were computed to determine the association among parameters. Descriptive statistics of the parameters were also computed to show their average behaviors and dispersions. All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 20 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY). Results of soil and sediment chemical analyses were assessed by principal component analysis (PCA) using Statview SE + Graphics TM software (Abacus Concepts, Inc., U.S.A.). PCA is a multivariate method used mainly for data reduction. It is aimed at finding components that explain the major variation within the data set.

Source of Information: Desalination and Water Treatment 193 (2020) 284–301

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This study was able to report, for the very first time, a complete spectrum of 13 priority metal pollutants in the Sadarghat area of the Buriganga River. The findings showed that the river water and sediments hosted high levels of some priority metals, which may pose serious threats to environmental and ecological health. Among the 13 metals, Ag, Cu, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, and Zn must be considered seriously in order to avoid deleterious environmental or ecological consequences. This report brings the potential for further research that could bring a more comprehensive and complete assessment of priority pollutants that need to be addressed in important environmental and economical landmarks like the Buriganga River. Results from this study can be a useful tool for the scientific community and the government in creating better policies and methodologies toward improving the environmental conditions of water bodies in Bangladesh.

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