Assessing Water and Soil Pollution Due to Uttara EPZ, Nilphamari, Bangladesh

Md Emdadul Haque,Arifa Yasmin Mukta,Moury Shermin

doi:10.4236/gep.2019.77010

Md Emdadul Haque, Arifa Yasmin Mukta + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/gep.2019.77010

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Abstract

The Uttara Export Processing Zone (UEPZ) is being the important industrial belt of the northern region. It is an important issue to find out the environmental impact of UEPZ. Water is the most important source of domestic, irrigation and industrial purpose in both rural and urban regions. The present study was carried out to find out the water and soil quality of UEPZ. Five heavy metals were selected (Fe, Cu, Mn, Pb, Cr) to assess water quality of UEPZ and two indices such as heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and contamination index (Cd) were selected to evaluate the impact on water. The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals in water samples were within the permissible limits of WHO drinking water quality. HPI of water samples in three sites was 20.57 which was lower than 100 the critical value for drinking water. Both results show the region is moderately or slightly polluted. Pollution risks of heavy metal in the soil were evaluated by method of geological acumination index (Igeo) and Pollution load index (PLI) for seven soil samples. The geological evaluation of the cumulative index results showed that the contamination degree of 4 heavy metals follows the sequence of Mn > Zn > Fe > Cu. Then the results of PLI of seven soil sample are 1.474 > 1.398 > 1.372 > 1.308 > 1.302 > 1.290 > 1.289. Both results show the soil sample area were unpolluted to moderately polluted. Finally, an overall impact of UEPZs environment is also discussed in this paper.

Highlights

Uttara Export Processing Zone (UEPZ) is the seventh of the eight export processing zone in Bangladesh located at Nilphamari district
The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals in water samples were within the permissible limits of WHO drinking water quality
Water quality is measured with a variety of physical, chemical and biological variables which may be qualitative or quantitative. 7 water samples were collected from ETP of UEPZ

Summary

Introduction

UEPZ is the seventh of the eight export processing zone in Bangladesh located at Nilphamari district. It’s the only export processing zone of the northern part of Bangladesh. The areas Sangalshi have been for many years a verdant region of fertile farmlands with paddy and wheat fields and plantations of various vegetables and mustard. It provides a good habitat for flora and fauna. In the last ten years, this region has witnessed a significant change due to industrial establishments and the area in the periphery of the highway. There is a connection between environmental conservation, industrial and neighboring developments which is not in doubt, but developments whether residential, commercial or industrial impact the environment either negatively or positively, but mostly negatively unless they are well planned and appropriate and adequate measures put in place to mitigate against possible and certain negative impacts (Wadud, 2018)

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