S. MONDAL1*, K. M. D. HOSSAIN2, B. DHAR3, M. A. HAKIM4 and M. A. S. KHAN5
1=Subrata Mondal, Assistant Professor, Department of Fisheries & Marine Bioscience, 2Khondoker Mohammad Delowar Hossain, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, 3Bishwajit Dhar, MS Student, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, 4Md. Abdul Hakim, MS Student, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Jessore University of Science and Technology, Jessore 7408 and 5Md. Abu Shamim Khan, Senior Chemist, Asia Arsenic Network, Jessore Office, Bangladesh. *Corresponding author’s Email: subratajstu1975@gmail.com.
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted at the Department of Fisheries & Marine Bioscience, Jessore University of Science and Technology, Jessore, Bangladesh during October-December 2012 to assess the physico-chemical properties of a renowned river Bhairab in Jessore district of Bangladesh where some fertilizer, cement, a lather processing industry and a diesel based power plant is located on the bank of the river. The water samples of Bhairab river were collected from five locations e.g. Afra Station (AS), Chengutia Station (CS), Noapara Station (NS), Taltala Station (TS) and Vhatpara Ferry Station (VS) in Noapara upazila under Jessore district of Bangladesh. The water quality variables selected for the study were: temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), water pH, total hardness, electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3), chloride (Cl–), total alkalinity, sulphate (SO4–), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr). Single measurement campaign was done in 7th December, 2012. Water temperature, TDS, EC and pH were measured in situ. Rests of the parameters were measured in the Environmental Laboratory of Asia Arsenic Network, Jessore Office, Bangladesh. The average temperature was found to be 23.48 ºC; average turbidity was 176.04 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU). The average TDS was 220 mg/l, pH was 7.82, total hardness was 313.33 mg/l, EC was 445 µS/cm, COD was 11.70 mg/l, NH4+ was 0.65 mg/l, NO3– was 12.50 mg/l, Cl– was 37.79 mg/l, total alkalinity was 199.33 mg/l, SO4– was 10.26 mg/l. At AS the Pb concentration was 0.0554 ppm but at VG, the Pb concentration was 0.1009 ppm. However, in the remaining 3 point (CS, NS and TS) the concentrations of Pb were below the detection level (BDL). The Cd concentrations were BDL in all the five points; however, the average Cr concentration of the five points was 0.11 ppm.
Keywords: BDL, Bhairab River, COD, Concentration and Physico-chemical properties.