Water in the Environment:

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Tainted Life Source Hungers for Cures Tainted Life Source Hungers for Cures

Prof. Dr. Lau Seng

Centre for Water Research,

Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, &

Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

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Outline Outline

Properties of healthy waters

Health of Sarawak waters

Developing monitoring tools for water

Back to the nature for cures

Water resource management strategy

Conclusions

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Determination based on:

◦ Physical properties

Transparency, colour, and odour

◦ Biological properties

Harmful bacteria (coliforms, salmonella, etc.)

Properties of healthy waters Properties of healthy waters

Harmful bacteria (coliforms, salmonella, etc.)

◦ Chemical properties

pH, DO, BOD, COD, cond., pesticides, metals, DOM, nutrients, detergents, etc.

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Health of Sarawak Waters Health of Sarawak Waters

Sarawak the land of many rivers

◦ The Pristine Waters (Class I & II)

At head water regions

In 1995 – Bario region (Lau et al., 1995)

Arul Dalan, Pa’Ramapoh, and Pa’ Puak have Class II Arul Dalan, Pa’Ramapoh, and Pa’ Puak have Class II

water,

Class III (Pa’Marario, Pa’Ukat, Sg. Dappur) (suspended solids)

In 2011 – we can drive (4WD) all the

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Health of Sarawak Waters Health of Sarawak Waters

Pristine waters

◦ Batang Balui (Ekran,1995; Hashim & NEH, 2003)

Class II rivers were Long Jawi and Sg. Linau Class III for the main Batang Balui, Long

Murum and Batang Rejang (TSS > 500 mg/L)

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Murum and Batang Rejang (TSS > 500 mg/L)

2010 – Btg. Balui has dissapeared under the Bakun Dam. (Water in the dam is expected to be pristine)

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Slightly Polluted (Class III)

◦ Rivers in Sarawak are mostly Class III

Sg. Sarawak ^(Lau^{et al}., 1995;1996; 2005)

TSS, saline intrusions, microbial, sewage

Health of Sarawak Waters Health of Sarawak Waters

Upper Btg. Baram (Sekitar Ceria, 2010)

TSS, domestic solid wastes

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Health of Sarawak Waters Health of Sarawak Waters

Slightly Polluted (Class III)/cont.

Btg. Rejang (Ekran, 1995, Hashim & NEH, 2003)

TSS, domestic solid wastes, sewages, saline intrusions

Btg. Kemana (JKR, 1998)

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Btg. Kemana (JKR, 1998)

TSS, wood wastes and preservatives, sewage

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Health of Sarawak Waters Health of Sarawak Waters

Very Polluted Rivers (Class IV & V)

◦ Mostly that run through cities

Sg. Miri/Lutong (CTTC, 2001)

Polluted with BOD, sewage, O&G, microbial and acidity

microbial and acidity

Sg. Maong (Lau et al., 1998a; 2003; Lau & Pereira, 1998)

High BOD, O&G, nutrients, sewage

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Health of Sarawak Waters Health of Sarawak Waters

Very Polluted Rivers /cont.

Sg. Tabuan (Lau et al., 2000a)

High BOD, nutrients, O&G, microbial + floating rubbish

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Tidal flushing not efficient

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Major pollutants in surface water

◦ Suspended solids –from soil erosions

◦ Organic matters – food and animal wastes

◦ Nutrients – (nitrates and phosphates)

◦ Floating debris – littered rubbish

Health of Sarawak Waters Health of Sarawak Waters

◦ Floating debris – littered rubbish

◦ Sewage – source of bacteria, nutrients and organic matters.

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Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Sediment Analysis

◦ Complements water analysis

◦ Low frequency needed

◦ Less likely to be manipulated

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(Lau, et al., 1995a; Lau et al., 1996)

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Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Nutrients dynamics in ponds

K_eq = k [PO₄]_aq

[PO₄]⁵_sed [H⁺] [DO]¹³

•Phosphate releases in acidic conditions (available)

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Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Assessment of Carrying Capacity

Carbon in trapped sediment (mg/kg)

Exceeding the carrying capacity

13 Fig. 4.2: Schematics of the sediment trap Trap

(Lau & Bong, 2005.)

Time (month)

Carbon in trapped sediment (mg/kg)

Within the carrying capacity

Environment is recovering

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Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Sedimentation pattern

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-80.0u -100u

Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Voltammetric method for Arsenic Speciation

Deposition onto the HMDE

H₃AsO₃ + 3H+ + 3e- <==> As0 + 3 H₂O As⁰ + 3 CuCl₃^2- + 3 e- <==> Cu₃As + 9 Cl^-

Cathodic Stripping at the HMDE (-0.8 V)

Cu As + 3 H⁺ + Hg + 3 e- <==> 3 Cu(Hg) +

-0.40 -0.50 -0.60 -0.70 -0.80 -0.90 -1.00 U (V)

0 -20.0u -40.0u -60.0u

I (A)

Fig. 9: Calibration curve of As(III) in 1 M HCl and 20 ppm Cu(II): E_d= -0.350V, t_d= 55s, t_eq= 5s, E_sw=60mV, ∆E = 5mV, f = 149 Hz.

[As(III)] ranges from 10 – 100 ppb

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Cu₃As + 3 H⁺ + Hg + 3 e- <==> 3 Cu(Hg) + AsH₃

As(V) is reduced to As(III) using thiocynate or thiosulfate in acidic medium

(Lau and Lim, 2003; Lau & Lim, 2005; Limuk & Lau, 2009)

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Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Biomonitoring of heavy metals

Accumulative Index for tissue [M_tissue]/[M_sed.]

Accumulative Index for shell [M_tissue]/[M_sed.]

B.

costula

Clithon sp.

M.

tuberculat B.

costul

Clitho n sp.

M.

tubercul

a a ata

As 10.42 4.53 30.08 30.31 5.16 248.07 Cu 37.99 20.98 54.42 6.59 11.98 34.30

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Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals

◦ Preserved specimen for metal analysis

Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Cd Cr Cu Ni Pb

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(Lau & Loh, 2000)

Cd Cr Cu Ni Pb

Tissue 98% 68% 44% 248% 44%

Shell 40% 48% 10% 202% 63%

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Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals

◦ Terrestrial plants

Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Ischaemum magnum Rendle 48.33

40 50 60

Meremia umbellata Hallier f.(Leaves) Ischaemum magmum Rendle

mg/kg dry wt.

21.5

11.08 7.64

7.88 7.08

28.67

10 20 30

40 Ischaemum magmum Rendle (Leaves)

mg/kg dry wt.

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Monitoring Tools Monitoring Tools

Food safety

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(Chemsain, 2003)

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Biological filter for greywater treatment

Back to the Nature

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Water Treatment Water Treatment

Ecosan – aerobic decomposition

(Jenssen et al., 2005)

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Parameters Influent Effluent

BOD (mg/L) 120 <2

TSS (mg/L) 38 1.3

PO₄^3- (mg/L) 13.69 0.62

NO₃^- (mg/L) 18.7 3.0

E. Coli (cfu/100 ml) 6.5 x 10⁴ 58

O&G (mg/L) 20 <1

(Jenssen et al., 2005)

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Water Treatment Water Treatment

Gravity feed biofiltration

Distribution line 3” pvc pipe

Observation

Inlet from Canteen Inlet from

Chalet and hostel

Inlet Outlet

BOD 66 30

Observation

well Effluent outlet

PLAN VIEW

BOD 66 30

TSS 27.5 1.5 PO₄^3- 15.5 2.8 NO₃^- 0.65 0.50

TCC 1.2 x 10⁶ 650

Top soil + wood chips (25 cm)

Observation well (4”)

Perforated Distribution pipe

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Water Treatment Water Treatment

Anaerobic decomposition

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Biogas plant at SMK Padawan (Lau, 2007)

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Water Resource Management Water Resource Management

Concept of Integrated River Basin Management (Dublin Principles)

◦ Principle 1:

Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource.

◦ Principle 2:

Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach.

◦ Principle 3:

Women play a central part in the management of water.

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Water Resource Management Water Resource Management

IRBM for Sg. Sarawak Basin

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Model of IRBM

Water Resource Management

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Conclusions Conclusions

The status

The tools

The treatments

The management

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Acknowledgement Acknowledgement

UNIMAS for supporting my teaching and research activities

My students who have worked and

endured all obstacles in completing their projects

projects

Colleagues who are so willing to work with me