A Case Study of Surma River at Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. Tajmunnaher* and Dr
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International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 53 Number 3 November 2017 Assessment and Correlation Analysis of Water Quality Parameters: A case Study of Surma River at Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. Tajmunnaher* and Dr. Mohammad Aktarul Islam Chowdhury Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shah Jalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh Abstract—Water is a valued natural resource for the both natural influences and human activities ([19], existence of all living organisms. Management of the and [43]). Rivers are the most important freshwater quality of this precious resource is, therefore, of resource for man. Unfortunately, river waters are special importance. The Surma River basin is being polluted by indiscriminate disposal of located in the north eastern region of Bangladesh. sewerage, industrial waste and plethora of human The river receives wastewater from numerous activities, which affects their physico-chemical numbers of sources along its way, which are characteristics and microbiological quality [34]. discharged as industrial effluents, municipal Pollution of the aquatic environment is a serious and sewage, household wastes and agricultural wastes. growing problem. Increasing numbers and amounts The purpose of this study is to access water quality of industrial, agricultural and commercial chemicals and correlation analysis on the basis of physico- discharged into the aquatic environment have led to chemical parameters such as Temperature, PH, DO various deleterious effects on aquatic organisms. (Dissolved Oxygen), BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Aquatic organisms, including fish, accumulate Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), TS pollutants directly from contaminated water and (Total Solids), TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) and SS indirectly via the food chain ([14] and [31]). (Suspended Solids) in both rainy season and winter season for the years 2010 to 2013. Pearson’s Rivers contribute significantly to the growth of a correlation coefficient (r) value is determined using country’s economy. The benefits of rivers are not correlation matrix to identify the highly correlated limited to the supply of water; they also serve other and interrelated water quality parameters. To test purposes such as recreation and sport, fishing, the significance of the pair of parameters p-value is navigation, irrigation, generation of hydropower, carried out. From the assessment study it is found transportation, waste disposal, and even sand mining. that the temperature, PH, BOD, COD, TS and TDS A river is a system comprising both main course and values are increasing with respect to time and SS is tributaries, carrying the one-way flow of a also increasing in winter season with respect to significant load of matter in dissolved and time. In case of correlation study we found that the particulate phases from both natural and relationship between temperature with PH, PH with anthropogenic sources. The quality of a river at any COD, PH with TS, BOD with COD, BOD with TS, point reflects several major influences, including the BOD with TDS, COD with TS, COD with TDS and lithology of the basin, atmospheric inputs, climatic TS with TDS is established which showing a very conditions and anthropogenic inputs [44]. On the good correlation for Surma River in rainy season other hand, rivers play a major role in assimilation or and in winter season the relationship between DO transporting municipal and industrial wastewater and with TS, DO with TDS and TS with TDS showing a runoff from agricultural land. Municipal and very good correlation. industrial wastewater discharge constitutes a constant polluting source, whereas surface runoff is Keywords—Surma River, Water Quality a seasonal phenomenon, largely affected by climate Parameters, Correlation Coefficient, rainy season, within the basin [23]. A lot of researchers winter season. ([9],[23],[25],[26],[30], [35], [37], [40], [50],[51],and [54]) studies on assessment of water I. INTRODUCTION quality of rivers of Bangladesh and all over the world ([21],[29],[42],[47],[48], and[58]). It is Water is vital to the existence of all living creatures, evident that pollution from various sources but this valued resource is increasingly being particularly from industries has negative impact on threatened as human populations grow and demand environment, irreversible in nature more water of high quality for domestic purposes ([1],[2],[6],[14],[16],[18],[32],[33], and[57]). A and economic activities. The quality of any body of number of studies ([5],[7],[16],[42],[54], and[57]) surface or ground water is a function of either or have shown that water pollution is taking a heavy ISSN: 2231-5381 http://www.ijettjournal.org Page 126 International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 53 Number 3 November 2017 toll of human life, particularly, in the developing S7 Rajaganj countries through ill health and premature mortality. S8 Golabganj Bazar As such, riverside development inevitably impacts S9 Shahporan Bridge river water quality. The water quality of water S10 Shahjalal Bridge resources is a subject of ongoing concern and S11 Kin Bridge assessment of long-term water quality changes is a S12 Kazir Bazar challenging problem [57]. Hence, to assist the local S13 Sheikh Ghat environmental policy makers in preparing well- S14 Tuker Bazar informed action plans, it is important to provide the S15 Chatak profile of rivers with detailed water quality S16 Dowara Bazar parameter compositions. However, studies have S17 Sunamganj-1 been carried out so far on determining the level of S18 Sunamganj-2 contamination contributed by different water quality S19 Joynagar Hut parameters. In recent years an easier and simpler S20 Laxmipur Bazar approach based on statistical correlation, has been developed using mathematical relationship for comparison of physico-chemical parameters (Joshi, et. al., 2009 and Khatoon, et. al., 2013). Assessment of water quality parameters by correlation study is also found from (Agarwal, et. al., 2013, Khatoon, et. al., 2013, Kumar, 2010 and Patel, et. al., 2015) their research. Considering all these in mind, we attempt in this study to evaluate the water quality parameters along the Surma River within the years 2010 to 2013. The first objective of the paper is to access the water quality parameters of Surma River in rainy season and winter season. The second objective is to investigate the relationship between water quality variables statistical procedures like correlation analysis is used. The results are expected to provide insight into the quality of the water and consequently Figure 1. Sampling Stations of Surma River enable managers to form appropriate action plans at the different locations along the river basin. B. Sampling and Environmental Analysis II. MATERIAL AND METHOD Water samples were collected from the Surma A. Description of Study Area River from upstream to downstream along the river during two seasons- namely rainy season and winter The Surma River is a major river in Bangladesh, season and tested for some physical and chemical part of the Surma-Meghna River System and total water quality parameters which are required for this length of the river is 900 km. The average depth of study. Water samples were collected for the years the river is 282 feet (86 m) and maximum depth is 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 consequently. For first 550 feet (170 m). The Surma is fed by tributaries two years, 15 sampling points have been taken and from the Meghalaya Hills to the north[60]. The main for the years 2012 and 2013, 20 sampling stations source of Surma River is Barak River, India, on have been taken along the river for both seasons. reaching the border with Bangladesh at Amalshid in Water sample from various point in Surma River Sylhet district, Barak bifurcates to form the steep was collected and routine laboratory analysis made and highly flashy rivers Surma and Kushiyara [61]. for physical and chemical qualities according to the The study area and sampling stations are shown in standard method [18] in the water Supply and figure 1 and the sampling station names are given in Sewerage Engineering Laboratory of Civil and table 1. Environmental Engineering Department, Shah Jalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, TABLE I Bangladesh. NAME OF SAMPLING STATIONS C. Statistical analysis Station ID Station Name Statistical analysis was carried out using S1 Bholanater Bazar Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS S2 Kaliganj Bazar Version 23). The physico-chemical parameters for S3 Atgram Bazar all the study were analysed by calculating Pearson’s S4 Andhurmukh Bazar correlation coefficient (r) value. Correlation is a S5 Kanaighat Bazar bivariate analysis that measures the strengths of S6 Gach bari Bazar ISSN: 2231-5381 http://www.ijettjournal.org Page 127 International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 53 Number 3 November 2017 association between two variables and the direction D. General information of Water Quality of the relationship ([28], and [46]). In terms of the Parameters strength of relationship, the value of the correlation Temperature is a critical water quality and coefficient varies between +1 and -1. When the environmental parameter because it governs the value of the correlation coefficient lies around ± 1, kinds and types of aquatic life, regulates the then it is said to be a perfect degree of association maximum dissolved oxygen concentration of the between the two variables. As the correlation water, and influences the rate of chemical and coefficient value goes towards 0, the relationship biological reactions [45]. PH is a very important between the two variables will be weaker. The factor that must be considered to determine for water direction of the relationship is simply the + quality. The PH of any water body surface is defined (indicating a positive relationship between the as a measure of Hydrogen ion concentration. In variables) or - (indicating a negative relationship other words, PH is a measure of the alkalinity or between the variables) sign of the correlation. The acidity of water soluble substances [8].