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Investigation of Surface Water Quality of the Buriganga River in Bangladesh: Laboratory and Spatial Analysis Approaches

Mohammad Saiful Islam
Department of Geology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Romana Afroz
Department of Geology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Md. Bodruddoza Mia
Department of Geology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

This work has been conducted to evaluate the water quality of the Buriganga river. In situ water quality parameters and water samples were collected from 10 locations in January 2016 and analyzed later in laboratory for water quality parameters such as pH, Eh, EC, TDS, cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg², As³⁺), anions (Cl-, HCO_3-, NO_2-, NO_3-, SO₄^2-, F-, Br-, PO₄^3-), heavy metals (Cr²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd⁺², Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺) to see whether or not the level of these parameters are within the permissible limits. The average values of pH, Eh, EC and temperature were 7.31, –214.9 mV, 928.9 µs/cm and 21.4°C, respectively; the average concentration of Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and As³⁺ were 109.62, 13.38, 46.78, 13.98 and 0.018 mg/l, respectively, while the concentrations of Cl-,HCO_3-, PO₄^3-, SO₄^2-, NO_3-, NO_2-, F and Br -were 79, 331.06, 2.22, 84.32, 0.0254, 0.058, 0.224 and 0.073 mg/l, respectively; and the concentration of heavy metals Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺were 0.28, 0.053, 0.17 and 0.23 mg/l, respectively. The study indicates that most of the parameters are within the permissible limits set by Bangladesh water quality standard. The concentrations of K⁺, Mn²⁺, and Pb²⁺ were beyond the permissible limits meaning that that the water of Buriganga is not safe for drinking. The people living beside Buriganga river should be more cautious about using the polluted/contaminated river water. The concerned authorities should take urgent necessary steps to improve the degraded water quality of the river considering the ecological, environmental and economic implications associated with it.

Keywords: Surface water quality, Buriganga river, Laboratory and spatial analysis

Location: Buriganga River in Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Water quality

Objectives:

To determine the Surface Water Quality of the Buriganga River in Bangladesh: Laboratory and Spatial Analysis Approaches

Methodology:

Field investigation is important for evaluating any parameter of water quality. To conduct this work, ten water samples were collected from Buriganga river from ten different locations (upstream to downstream). Field works were conducted within the study area with sophisticated instruments such as handheld GPS, HANNA Pocket pH and Eh meter (model HI 98127), OAKTON waterproof pocket pH-EC comb. Meter (Model PC tester 35). Two 125 ml PVC bottles were used for sampling. During sampling 0.45 μm membrane filters were used to filter water samples in order to remove colloidal materials and other unwanted particles. One bottle of sample was acidified using concentrated HNO₃ to lower the pH value to < 3 to avoid precipitation of the dissolved constituents from the samples. Sampling process was started by rinsing the sample bottles three times with the filtered water; then two-third of the 125 ml sample bottle was filled with the filtered water and it was acidified with concentrated HNO₃ and then the rest of the bottle was filled up leaving no empty space. Physico-chemical parameters like pH, Eh, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS) and temperature were measured in the field. Different methods were applied for determining the concentration of different chemical constituents of the sample waters; flame photometer (Jenway PFP-7) wavelength 769 nm for Na and K; atomic absorption spectrometer (GBC SensAA) for Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn and other heavy metals; titration method for HCO₃ and Cl; UVVisible spectro-photometer (T60 PG) wavelength 410 nm for NO₃ and SO₄. ArcGIS software was used for preparing maps such as location map and spatial distribution map. Rock Works 15 software was employed for piper diagram which describes hydrochemical facies analyses.

Source of Information: Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 28(2): 147-158, 2019 (July)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

It is known that the water quality of Buriganga river has been degrading day by day but from data analysis in this study, it is found that some parameters are within the permissible limit set by DoE and WHO. Some of the parameters of the river water are beyond the limits. The acceptable water quality parameters are pH, Eh, EC, temperature, cations (Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, As³⁺), anions (HCO_3-, PO_4^3-, SO_4^2-, NO_3-, NO_2-, F-, Br-) and heavy metals (Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺). The parameters found beyond the permissible limits are K⁺, Mn²⁺, Pb²⁺. Among all the parameters, Cl- is the only element that was beyond the limit of WHO and DoE, which means that the water is not safe for drinking. Near Kamrangirchor bridge, the value of EC was high (1018 μS/cm) due to the discharge of tannery effluent and metal plating industries.The Buriganga river is not only the lifeline of the capital city but also a perennial source of natural beauty for the common people of the country. The present state of water pollution has given rise to an unhealthy environment of the city. It has now become an urgent issue for the concerned authority to undertake some comprehensive and holistic approaches to save this river.

Knowledge Management: Journal