Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 19 No 6 (2015): 1391- 1404 MALAYSIAN JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL SCIENCES ISSN 1394 - 2506 Published by The Malaysian Analytical Sciences Society WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION OF CEMPAKA LAKE, BANGI, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA AS AN IMPACT OF EXCESSIVE E. COLI AND NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS (Degradasi Kualiti Air di Tasik Cempaka, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Disebabkan oleh E.Coli dan Kepekatan Nutrisi yang Berlebihan) Muhammad Barzani Gasim1*, Mohd Ekhwan Toriman1,2, Soaad Muftah1, Amal Barggig1, Nor Azlina Abd Aziz1, Fazureen Azaman1, Norsyuhada Hairoma1, Haniff Muhamad1 1East Coast Environmental Research Institute (ESERI), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia 2 School of Social, Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia *Corresponding author: [email protected] Received: 14 April 2015; Accepted: 9 July 2015 Abstract This study was carried out to determine the status of the water quality condition in Cempaka Lake, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Seven sampling stations were selected to represent the water quality condition of the lake. The sampling was carried out in two different times; the first sampling was in June 2010 and the second sampling in August 2010. A total of fifteen water quality parameters was selected, analyzed in-situ and ex-situ, and classified based on WQI and NWQS Classifications. Results for in-situ water quality parameters are: pH content ranged from 6.13 to 6.92; DO from 1.63 to 4.94 mg/L; temperature from 26.02 to 28.37 ºC and conductivity from 94 to 213μS/cm. For ex-situ water quality parameters are: BOD from 0.38 to 2.4 mg/L, Escherichia coli from 120x102 CFU/100mL to 403x102CFU /100mL; nitrite from 0.06 to 0.99 mg/L, nitrate from 1.0 to 1.8 mg/L; ammoniacal nitrogen from 2.00 to 2.84 mg/L; phosphate from 0.21 to 0.56 mg/L; sulphate from 21 to 35 mg/L; COD from 9.3 to 69 mg/L and TSS from 1.8 to 33.3 mg/L; oil & grease from 5.7 to 11.8 mg/L; hardness from 13.89 to 35.57 mg/L. Overall, Cempaka Lake was classified moderately polluted due to urban activities. Keywords: Cempaka Lake, water quality parameter, WQI and NWQS classifications, moderately polluted Abstrak Kajian ini telah dijalankan untuk menentukan status kualiti air di Tasik Cempaka, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Tujuh stesen pensampelan telah dipilih untuk mengenalpasti kualiti air tasik. Pensampelan telah dijalankan dalam dua masa yang berlainan; pensampelan pertama ialah pada bulan Jun 2010 dan persampelan kedua pada bulan Ogos 2010. 15 parameter kualiti air telah dipilih, dianalisis in-situ dan ex-situ, dan berdasarkan pengkelasan IKA dan PKAK. Keputusan untuk in-situ parameter kualiti air adalah: Kandungan pH adalah antara 6.13-6.92; DO 1.63-4.94 mg/L; suhu 26.02 – 28.37 ºC dan kekonduksian daripada 94 sehingga 213μS/cm. Bagi ex-situ parameter kualiti air adalah: BOD 0.38-2.4 mg/L, Escherichia coli dari 120x102CFU/100ml sehingga 403x102 CFU/100ml; nitrit 0.06-0.99 mg/L, nitrat 1.0-1.8 mg/L; nitrogen ammoniacal 2.00-2.84 mg/L; fosfat 0.21-0.56 mg/L; sulfat 21-35 mg/L; COD 9.3-69 mg/L dan TSS dari 1.8 sehingga 33.3 mg/L; minyak & gris 5.7- 11.8 mg/L; keliatan air 13.89-35.57 mg/L. Secara keseluruhan, Tasik Cempaka dikelaskan sebagai sederhana tercemar akibat kesan aktiviti bandar. Kata kunci: Tasik Cempaka, parameter kualiti air, pengkelasan IKA dan PKAK, sederhana tercemar 1391 Gasim et al: WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION OF CEMPAKA LAKE, BANGI, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA AS AN IMPACT OF EXCESSIVE E. COLI AND NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS Introduction Water is vital to the human existence. Early human civilizations were centered on spring and streams. Many civilizations that flourished after developing a reliable water supply collapsed when the supply was exhausted or its quality deteriorated [1]. The fast growth of urban areas has affected the water quality of the surface water due to over exploitation of resources and improper waste disposal practices. The catchment area is important for water resource conservation, both in terms of quality and quantity. The study of water quality aspects of the water distribution system is of great significance as it plays an important role in assuring a good quality of water to the consumer [2]. Water quality is important in drinking water supply, irrigation, fish production, recreation and other purposes to which the water must have been impounded. Water quality is determined by the physical and chemical limnology and includes all physical, chemical and biological factors of water that influence the beneficial use of the water [3]. The destruction of catchment area will lead to the deterioration in quality and quantity of the water resource further downstream [4]. In general, the status of water quality can provide useful information on land activities within the catchment area, for example, the deterioration of water quality at Tasik Chini have been raised due to their correlated with agriculture and mining activities [5]. About one third of the drinking water requirements of the world is obtained from surface sources like rivers, canals and lakes unfortunately; these sources seem to be used as the best place for waste discharge for agriculture, domestics and industries [6]. In general, the status of water quality at each of the sampling sites could provide useful information on land activities within the lake’s catchment area. It is believed that at the catchment studied, higher concentrations of the DO, for example, was triggered by intensive agriculture activities which resulted in changes to land use and land cover [7]. The water quality index is one of the most effective tools to communicate information on the quality of water to the concerned citizens and policy makers. It becomes a significant parameter for the assessment and management of surface water [1]. WQI is defined as a rating that reflects the complex influence of different water quality parameters. WQI is calculated from the point of vision of the suitability of surface water for human consumption [8]. Water quality classification in all seasons where the quality slightly differs in summer and winter compared to the post monsoon season are reasons to introduce water quality change and measures to be taken in terms of the groundwater quality management [9]. Discharge of toxic chemicals, over pumping of aquifer and contamination of water bodies with substance that promote algae growth are some of today’s major cause for the degradation of water quality. Direct contamination of surface water with metals in discharges of mining, smelting and industrial manufacturing, is a long-standing phenomenon. Today there are traces of contamination not only of surface water but also of groundwater bodies, which are susceptible to leach from waste dumps, mine tailings and industrial production sites [10]. The physical and chemical properties of water resources are driven by numerous environmental variables such as climate, wastewater effluent, and tidal effect at the estuary [11]. The main purpose of analyzing the physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics of water is to determine its nutrient status. Since the water contains both dissolved and suspended materials in various proportions, its physical and chemical characteristics differ along with its biological characteristics [12]. Cempaka Lake, Bangi is a man-made lake, located between the commercial centre and Kompleks Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) Jabatan Kemajuan Bangi (Figure 1). The lake originated from a small river called Sg. Ayer Hitam. It was then up-graded into a lake which covered about 15.7 acre of land; the length of the lake from the inlet to outlet is about 700 m with maximum depth 3 meter in the middle. The lake is connected with Sungai Langat through Sg. Ramal, a shallow river that runs through Kajang and Bangi areas. Flood always occurs when there are heavy rains. Thus, Cempaka reacts as a retention pond by slowing down the water flow into Sungai Langat. Later on, the area is made into a recreational park. Today, the Cempaka Lake serves the local people 1392 Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 19 No 6 (2015): 1391- 1404 recreation or as an infrastructure for social activities such as jogging, fishing, fitness training and a playground area for children. Figure1. Location map of the study area 1393 Gasim et al: WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION OF CEMPAKA LAKE, BANGI, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA AS AN IMPACT OF EXCESSIVE E. COLI AND NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS Materials and Methods Seven sampling stations were chosen from the surrounding the lake (station 1 to station 7) as shown in Figure 2. Station 1 was located at the inlet area of the lake, four sampling stations(station 2 to station 5) in the surroundings of the lake and Station 6 was in the centre, and the last station, Station 7 was located in the outlet of the lake. The samples were taken using polyethylene bottles, which had been soaked and cleaned before the sampling. After the collection, the samples were immediately placed into ice boxes and processed for analysis in the laboratory. The water samples were collected on a range of time, from 8:30 to 10 am. Three replications of samples were taken randomly at each station. Figure 2. Location of seven water sampling stations in the Cempake Lake The water quality analysis is divided into two measurements: In-situ measurement and in the lab measurement. Four water quality parameters (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity) were measured in-situ using HYDROLAB meter DataSonde.