Pollution Source Identification of Halda River Water Using Field Observation, Laboratory Analysis and GIS Technique

Abstract

Halda River (HR), the lone natural carp breeding ground in Bangladesh as well as in Southeast Asia is an economically important river and its water quality is deteriorating due to unplanned industrialization and various anthropogenic activities. The present research work has been conducted to assess the characteristics of HR water. Eighteen water quality parameters were studied including pH, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Dissolved Solids, Electrical Conductivity, Hardness, Turbidity, Total Alkalinity, SO42-, PO43-, NO3-, Cl-, NH4+, Cr (VI), Mn (II) and Arsenic. This study shows that water in HR is regularly alkaline and its pH lies between 7.08-7.65. The DO value varies from 5.9-8.4 mgL-1, BOD ranged from 0.3-2.8 mgL-1 and COD from 24-96 mgL-1. According to the Water Quality Index study, the river is being intensely polluted due to the unscrupulous industrial wastes discharge into the HR through various canals.