Assessment of heavy metal contamination in flooding area case study at Sungai Pahang and Sungai Kelantan

The news on of heavy metal contamination in environments especially in rivers is increasing nowadays. Uncontrolled urbanization in catchments, industrialization, improper dredging management and agricultural have caused the rivers to faced serious water and sediment pollution problems. Floods speed up the metal mobilization in rivers. The first objective of this study is to determine heavy metal contamination in environmental samples obtained from flood prone areas in Pahang River and Kelantan River. This research proceeds with its second objective to compare the heavy metal concentration with the National Water Quality Standards of Malaysia, Interim Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines and Malaysian Food Act 1983 to determine its limits and risks. The third objective of this research is to make recommendation on how to minimize heavy metal contaminations in Malaysian Rivers by using online questionnaire method to officers from Department Of Environments from Pahang and Kelantan. Samples of water, sediment, snails and fishes were collected and analyzed for As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Fe, Pb, Ni, Mn and Hg by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. It was found that the concentration of heavy metal namely As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Hg in river water, sediment, snail and fish samples in Pahang River were lower than the maximum allowable limits. Moreover, in Kelantan River the concentration of heavy metals indicating that it is contaminated with Fe, Mn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Hg, and As; as all heavy metals exceeded the maximum allowable limits. Ion exchange, phytoremediation, law punishment, awareness programmes and proper effluent systems management by industries are recommended measures to minimize heavy metal contaminations in rivers. Preliminary studies and early precaution are needed to overcome heavy metal pollution especially in Malaysian Rivers before extreme effects occurs.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

mphil

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Sandirasegaran, Kavitha

• QH540-549.5 Ecology

Language dc:language

en