Buriganga River Research Articles

Phytoplankton Diversity and Abundance in Relation to Pollution Levels in the Hazaribagh Tannery Effluent Sewage Water of the River Buriganga

About 185 leather processing industries have been operating in Hazaribagh and discharging solid and liquid wastes to the downstream areas of the river Buriganga and to the canals around. The physico-chemical parameters and biological examination of tannery effluents sewage water were carried out in relation to phytoplankton abundance at four selected points (viz. Kamrangirchar: K1, K2 and K3; Hazaribagh Tempo Stand: H) of the Buriganga river from October 2009 to September 2010. Altogether 27 genera of Phytoplankton belonging to the families Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Cryptophyceae were identified from the above points. Merismopedia was the most abundant form (3.6×104 - 2.4×106 cell/L) compared to those (1.4-72 ×103 cell/l) genera of other phytoplankton (Nitzschia, Synedra, Pleurosigma, Euglena , Strusastrum, Crucigenia, Ourococcus ) at K1, the station closest to the tannery effluent outfall. The abundance of Merismopedia increased gradually (K2: 6.45×104 - 3.68×106, K3: 6.95×104 -1.68x107 and H: 1.0×105 - 2.06×107) along with the decreasing pollutant concentrations of the water. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjz.v40i1.12901 Bangladesh J. Zool. 40(1): 121-128, 2012

Status and Distribution of the Gangetic Dolphin, Platanista Gangetica Gangetica (Roxburgh, 1801) In River Buriganga During 2003-2004 and Its Conservation

Studies on the population status, distribution and conservation issues of the Gangetic dolphin Platanista gangetica gangetica were undertaken in the river Buriganga from November 2003 to November 2004. A total of 29 sightings with the highest of five sightings and a best-high-low estimate of 9-11-7 individuals were recorded in November 2004, while in the months of August and October no dolphin was observed. The mean density was 0.25 dolphin/km and the highest encounter rate was 0.29 sightings/km. Of the total sightings, 41.38% were in the groups of more than one individuals. Of the observed dolphins, 71.43% were adults,16.66% maturing and 11.9% young. The dolphins were found in 15 locations with both single as well as multiple sightings. Main threat to the dolphins was found to be pollution followed by traffic load and dredging activities. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjz.v40i1.12890 Bangladesh J. Zool. 40(1): 21-31, 2012

Levels of heavy metals in tissues of shingi fish (Heteropneustes fossilis) from Buriganga River, Bangladesh

Heavy metal pollution was reported in commercially valuable freshwater edible fish in the Buriganga River, Bangladesh. The concentrations of As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, and Cu were investigated in the muscle, gill, stomach, intestine, and liver of Heteropneustes fossilis caught at three stations to assess the degree of fish pollution by heavy metals. Significant differences in concentrations of analyzed elements were observed among different tissues, but not among the stations. The ranges of the measured concentrations (μg/g dry weight) in the tissues of H. fossilis were as follows: arsenic concentration was (0.2-0.4), (0.82-0.90), (3.29-3.99), (2.20-2.80), and (2.41-2.90), that of lead was (1.79-2.20), (4.95-6.55), (10.36-13.38), (5.74-9.70), and (18.20-18.79), that of cadmium was (0.3-0.4), (2.87-4.27), (1.03-1.63), (1.55-4.59), and (2.25-5.50), that of chromium was (1.40-1.70), (3.52-3.72), (2.28-5.29), (2.77-3.79), and (4.25-8.65), that of zinc was (24.47-28.82), (16.82-18.80), (20.22-22.20), (22.86-26.68), and (60.82-67.80), and that of copper was (7.80-8.50), (6.22-6.81), (38.21-44.25), (17.07-21.03), and (43.24-47.30) in the muscle, gill, stomach, intestine, and liver, respectively. This research showed that the liver appeared to be the main heavy metal storage tissue, while the muscle had the lowest levels of analyzed metals. The concentrations of metal in the muscles not exceeded the acceptable levels for a food source for human consumption.

Trace Metal Flux in Water of Buriganga River: A GIS Approach

The objective of the study was to explore the seasonal variations in the water of Buriganga River with respect to heavy metals contamination. Water samples were collected six times with an interval of two months starting from June 2010 to April 2011. Collection of samples started at the point of 90o20´12"E and 23o46´25"N, continued towards downstream at an interval of 1 km upto 26 km by using GPS and ended at the point of 90o27'36"E and 23o37'50"N. The spatial database of the collected water samples were built with ARCGIS 9.3.1 as the platform of case study of Buriganga River. Six trace metals viz. cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) were analyzed for water from each sampling points to examine the level of contamination whether it exceed or within the permissible limit. The concentrations of trace metals in water samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The concentration range of these trace metals were found 0 to 0.01 mg/L for Cd, 0.46 to 1.19 mg/L for Fe, 0 to 0.38 mg/L for Zn, 0 to 0.074 mg/L for Cu, 0 to 0.098 mg/L for Cr and 0 to 0.074 mg/L for Pb. The study suggested that, concentration of Fe, Cr and Cd in river water were increased during dry season and in some points near Hazaribagh, Zinzira and Sadarghat it crossed the maximum permissible limit for drinking water purposes and irrigation water supply.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i1.10712 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(1), 9-18, 2012

Heavy metals contamination in water and sediments of an urban river in a developing country

Water and sediment samples were collected from 20 location of the Buriganga river of Bangladesh during Summer and Winter 2009 to determine the spatial distribution, seasonal and temporal variation of different heavy metal contents. Sequential extraction procedure was employed in sediment samples for the geochemical partitioning of the metals. Total trace metal content in water and sediment samples were analyzed and compared with different standard and reference values. Concentration of total chromium, lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, nickel, cobalt and arsenic in water samples were greatly exceeded the toxicity reference values in both season. Concentration of chromium, lead, copper and nickel in sediment samples were mostly higher than that of severe effect level values, at which the sediment is considered heavily polluted. On average 72 % chromium, 92 % lead, 88 % zinc, 73 % copper, 63 % nickel and 68 % of total cobalt were associated with the first three labile sequential extraction phases, which portion is readily bioavailable and might be associated with frequent negative biological effects. Enrichment factor values demonstrated that the lead, cadmium, zinc, chromium and copper in most of the sediment samples were enriched sever to very severely. The pollution load index value for the total area was as high as 21.1 in Summer and 24.6 in Winter season; while values above one indicates progressive deterioration of the sites and estuarine quality. The extent of heavy metals pollution in the Buriganga river system implies that the condition is much frightening and may severely affect the aquatic ecology of the river.

Groundwater quality trends in the Dupi Tila aquifer of Dhaka, Bangladesh: sources of contamination evaluated using modelling and environmental isotopes

Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, is a megacity dependant on groundwater for the majority of its water supply, pumped from 420 boreholes distributed throughout the city. Recharge to the groundwater aquifer is insufficient to balance abstraction, groundwater levels are in decline and water quality is compromised by seepage from areas of urban and industrial contamination and leakage from polluted rivers. The strategic importance of the naturally high-quality groundwater resource demands a targeted programme of aquifer protection. Repeated surveys at over 100 boreholes demonstrate the patterns and trends of deteriorating groundwater quality. Groundwater modelling and environmental isotope distributions have been used independently to evaluate the significance of potential sources of pollution. Both approaches identify the polluted River Buriganga as the main threat to groundwater quality, indicating priorities for monitoring and aquifer protection.

Public attitudes toward restoration of impaired river ecosystems: Does residents’ attachment to place matter?

Current knowledge about the nature and the degree of support for ecosystem restoration among residents is limited because of a lack of understanding of public attitudes and perceptions toward natural resources. Public perceptions are critical in designing and implementing any ecosystem restoration program. This study explores the relationship between public attitudes and ecosystem restoration, with a specific focus on identifying the role of place attachment in public attitudes. Using the Buriganga River of Dhaka City as a case study, the relationship between residents’ attitude towards river ecosystem restoration and the effects of various domains of place attachment on their willingness to engage in its protection and restoration are examined. This study has found that residents’ attitudes toward ecosystem restoration do vary with regard to particular measures of proximity to resources, their length of residence in the area and their depth of experience with the place. The findings of this study are useful for targeting education and awareness programs, setting priorities and in shaping policies for restoring degraded waterways.

Heavy Metals in Water, Sediment and Some Fishes of Buriganga River, Bangladesh

The spatial and temporal distribution of heavy metals in water, sediment and fish (dry weight basis) of Buriganga River, Bangladesh were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In water concentration of Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu and Cr varied seasonally and spatially from 58.17 to 72.45I¼g/L, 7.08 to 12.33I¼g/L, 7.15 to 10.32I¼g/L, 107.38 to 201.29I¼g/L and 489.27 to 645.26I¼g/L, respectively. Chromium was the most abundant in the water of Balughat during pre-monsoon, whereas, Cd was the most scarce in the water of Shawaryghat during monsoon. The sediment also showed spatial and temporal variation of Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu and Cr ranged from 64.71 to 77.13 mg/kg, 2.36 to 4.25 mg/kg, 147.06 to 258.17 mg/kg, 21.75 to 32.54 mg/kg and 118.63 to 218.39 mg/kg, respectively. Among all the metals studied in sediment, Ni was the highest at Foridabad during pre-monsoon and Cd was the lowest at Shawaryghat during monsoon. In six species of fish studied, the concentration of Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu and Cr varied seasonally from 8.03 to 13.52 mg/kg, 0.73 to 1.25 mg/kg, 8.25 to 11.21 mg/kg, 3.36 to 6.34 mg/kg and 5.27 to 7.38 mg/kg, respectively. Of the five metals studied Pb concentration was the highest in Gudusia chapra during monsoon, in contrast, Cd concentration was the lowest in Cirrhinus reba during post-monsoon. Some of the heavy metals’ concentrations are higher than the recommended value, which suggest that the Buriganga is to a certain extent a heavy metal polluted river and the water, sediment and fish are not completely safe for health.

Oscillatoria sp. Bloom and the Occurrence of Microcystin in the River Buriganga, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Oscillatoria sp. Bloom and the Occurrence of Microcystin in the River Buriganga, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Improving flood forecasting in Bangladesh using an artificial neural network

A river stage neural network model has been developed to study and predict the water level of Dhaka city. A total of five stations located at the border area of Bangladesh on the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers are selected as input nodes and Dhaka on the Buriganga river is the output node for the neural network. This model is trained with river stage data for a period of 1998 to 2004 and validated with data from 2005 to 2007. The river stage of Dhaka has been predicted for up to ten days with very high accuracy. Values of R2, root mean square and mean absolute error are found ranging from 0.537 to 0.968, 0.607 m to 0.206 m and 0.475 m to 0.154 m, respectively, during training and validation of the model. The results of this study can be useful for real-time flood forecasting by reducing computational time, improving water resources management and reducing the unnecessary cost of field data collection.

Ecological Health Risk of Buriganga River, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The efforts of modern civilization to create an environment to meet human aspirations have successfully resulted in constant improvements of our lifestyle, but it has increased risks to human and ecological health. This situation has motivated many scientists throughout the world to analyze the environmental factors that can affect our health or ecology and to calculate the levels of risk. In Bangladesh development activities and utilization of the river pose a great threat to the health of the existing natural environmental system, particularly for the important river Buriganga of the capital city, Dhaka, due to the pollution of the river water. A study was carried out to observe the ecological health hazards of the Buriganga river and their risk to human health. Several random samples of water were collected from different spots on the river from September to December 2006. The samples were analyzed to determine water quality and associated environmental health risks. The study revealed that the water is high in biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), phosphate (PO4 -3), ammonia, organic matters and nutrients, etc. It also revealed huge environmental health risks and possible ecological disruption of this river. Finally, the research recommends a sustainable policy framework on how the pollution could significantly be reduced by using different appropriate measures. Key words: Environmental health risk, ecological disruption, sustainable policy, water quality, Buriganga river, Bangladesh doi: 10.3126/hn.v3i0.1915 Hydro Nepal:Journal of Water, Energy and Environment Issue No. 3, July 2008. Page: 25-28

LEATHER FROM ANOTHER ERA

LIFE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE in Hazaribagh, the old tannery district of Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital. Within two years—if the scenario currently envisaged pans out—the district’s 206 leather tanneries will either shut their doors or move to a different part of the city. Once relocated, their effluent will be treated and their workers will operate in far safer conditions. Some 30,000 workers and much equipment will move. A way of life will disappear in Hazaribagh, but no one is complaining. The district’s tanneries belong to a long-gone era. They dump their untreated waste into drains and ditches that lead to the Buriganga River, the main river flowing through Dhaka. Workers handle corrosive chemicals without protective gear and walk around the tanneries barefoot. The homes of tannery workers in Hazaribagh are built next to contaminated streams, ponds, and canals. The air is polluted by informal leather recyclers who burn scraps of leather to produce cooking oil, soap ...

A Review of Management Instruments for Water Pollution Control: Sustainable Options for the River Buriganga, Bangladesh

A Review of Management Instruments for Water Pollution Control: Sustainable Options for the River Buriganga, Bangladesh

Cost–Benefit Analysis of Restoring Buriganga River, Bangladesh

The focus of this paper is to perform a cost–benefit analysis to determine the economic efficiency of the restoration of a dying river in Bangladesh, namely the Buriganga River. The benefits of the restoration programme are derived by using market data and employing benefit transfer and contingent valuation techniques. The values generated by this approach are integrated into the framework of a cost–benefit analysis, which showed a benefit-cost ratio of 4.35. This demonstrates that the restoration of dying rivers in developing countries is not only an environmental imperative, but is also socially and economically justifiable.

Measuring the total value of a river cleanup

The paper estimates the total value for the community of the cleanup of the Buriganga River. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, was developed on the bank of the Buriganga River in the early 1600s. The river is now near dead mainly due to human interventions. The paper develops a hypothetical cleanup programme to improve the water quality, which will help the overall environment in and around the river. The value of this programme is estimated within the framework of total economic value; non-marketed benefits are measured through a contingent valuation survey and marketed benefits are estimated using market and shadow prices. The findings of the survey suggest that not only are a significant proportion of the residents willing to pay for the cleanup programme, but many are also willing to contribute in non-monetary ways (mainly their time). When the latter contribution is monetised, it represents 60% of the total value for the non-marketed benefits. The marketed benefits are estimated to represent 58% of the overall value of the cleanup programme (18.6 million US dollars/year). A failure to account for all benefits could lead to a gross underestimation of the desirability of providing public funding for the cleanup of dying rivers.

Determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene in river water by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography.

A rapid and reproducible method is described that employs solid-phase extraction (SPE) using dichloromethane, followed by gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection for the determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and cumene (BTEXC) from Buriganga River water of Bangladesh. The method was applied to detect BTEXC in a sample collected from the surface, or 5 cm depth of water. Two-hundred milliliters of n-hexane-pretreated and filtered water samples were applied directly to a C18 SPE column. BTEXC were extracted with dichloromethane and the BTEX concentrations were obtained to be 0.1 to 0.37 microg ml(-1). The highest concentration of benzene was found as 0.37 microg ml(-1) with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 6.2%; cumene was not detected. The factors influencing SPE e.g., adsorbent types, sample load volume, eluting solvent, headspace and temperatures, were investigated. A cartridge containing a C18 adsorbent and using dichloromethane gave a better performance for the extraction of BTEXC from water. Average recoveries exceeding 90% could be achieved for cumene at 4 degrees C with a 2.7% RSD.

Determination of Normal Saturated- and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the River Water of Bangladesh by Liquid-Liquid Extraction and Gas Chromatography

A liquid-liquid extraction followed by evaporative concentration method was used to determine the concentration of normal, or straight chain, saturated hydrocarbons (NSH) <TEX>$(C_{10}\;to\;C_{24})$</TEX> and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) here defined as: fluorene, anthracene, pyrene, chrysene and perylene, in the Buriganga River water of Bangladesh. Samples were collected from 5 and 25 cm depth of water at the southern, middle and northern parts of the river at Postogolla, Sadarghat and Sowarighat stations. Hydrocarbons were extracted from 450 mL of water into 75 mL n-hexane and then concentrated into 1 or 2 mL solution by evaporation. These solutions were analyzed by gas chromatography. The highest and lowest concentrations were determined as <TEX>$257\;{\mu}gL^{-1}\;for\;C_{13}\;and \;0.24\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}\;for\;C_{22}$</TEX> at 5 ㎝ depth of water, at the northern part of the Sowarighat and southern part of the Postogolla, respectively. This method could allow the analysis of water for <TEX>$C_{22}$</TEX> as low as <TEX>$0.24\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$</TEX>.

Surface water pollution in three urban territories of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.

In South Asian countries such as Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, pollution of rivers is more severe and critical near urban stretches due to huge amounts of pollution load discharged by urban activities. The Bagmati River in the Kathmandu valley, the Yamuna River at Delhi, and peripheral rivers (mainly Buriganga River) of Dhaka suffer from severe pollution these days. The observed dry season average of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in all these rivers is in the range of 20-30 mg/liter and total coliform are as high as 104-105 MPN/100 ml. Per capita pollution load discharge of urban areas has been estimated to be about 31, 19, and 25 g BOD/capita/day in Bagmati, Yamuna, and the rivers of Dhaka, respectively. Regression analysis reveals pollution loads steadily increasing nearly in step with the trend in urbanization. The dissolved oxygen (DO) level of the Bagmati and Buriganga rivers is declining at an average annual rate of nearly 0.3 mg/liter/year. Unplanned urbanization and industrialization occurring in these cities may be largely responsible for this grave situation. Inadequate sewerage, on-site sanitation, and wastewater treatment facilities in one hand, and lack of effective pollution control measures and their strict enforcement on the other are the major causes of rampant discharge of pollutants in the aquatic systems.

Determination of Normal Saturated Hydrocarbons in the Buriganga River Water of Bangladesh by Gas Liquid Chromatography

The concentrations of normal saturated hydrocarbons (C10 - C24) were determined in water at the stations of Postagolla, Sadarghat and Sowarighat of the Buriganga river, Bangladesh. Samples were collected from different water depths (5 and 25 cm) of the sampling stations. Hydrocarbons were extracted from these water samples (500 ml) into 70 ml hexane which were further preconcentrated by evaporation to a volume of 10 ml solution. Constituents of hydrocarbons were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) using flame ionization detection (FID). Different concentrations of hydrocarbon constituents were obtained in river water at the various sampling stations. Irrespective of the locations and depths of the sampled water, few lower hydrocarbons (C10 - C13) were detected, but higher hydrocarbons (C14 - C24) were found to occur. However, the average concentrations of the components e.g., C22 and C24 at Postagolla, C16 and C22 at Sadarghat and C16 at Sowarighat (5 cm depth) were determined to be higher than the other hydrocarbons. The concentrations of individual constituents were found in the range of 1.04 to 6135 ppb. This method could permit the analysis of water for hydrocarbons with a detection limit as low as 1.04 ppb level.

Assessment of pollution of the river Buriganga, Bangladesh, using a water quality model

The River Buriganga, which runs past Dhaka City, is at present one of the most polluted rivers in Bangladesh. Dhaka City is very densely populated and will be one of the ten ‘Mega Cities’ by the year 2000. However, only a small fraction of the total wastewater being generated in the City is treated. Consequently, the amount of untreated wastes, both domestic and industrial, being released into the Buriganga is tremendous and is increasing day by day. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the status of the river water quality in terms of some cardinal water quality parameters, and to simulate the dissolved oxygen (DO) level using a water quality model. In order to fulfil the objectives, a comprehensive data acquisition programme – from both in situ and laboratory testing – was carried out. Then, a one-dimensional water quality model was developed for the Buriganga River system for a dry period of 1994-95. Different scenarios were tested to predict the most likely condition of the river. The results of the model simulations have replicated the alarming low DO level in the Buriganga. Option runs show that an integrated approach would be required to restore the river water quality with regard to biodegradable pollutants.