INVESTIGATION OF SURFACE WATER QUALITY OF THE BURIGANGA RIVER IN BANGLADESH: LABORATORY AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS APPROACHES

Abstract

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-, HCO3-, NO2-, NO3-, SO42-, F-, Br-, PO43-), 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-,HCO3-, PO43-,
SO42-, NO3-, NO2-, 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.