Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak

Water is important for living organisms. The increase of human activities along a river affects the water quality and sediment characteristics. This study was conducted to determine the water quality and sediment characteristics of the Batang Baleh and its tributaries and the effect of weather on th...

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Main Author:	Heng, Teresa Lee Eng
Format:	Thesis
Language:	English
Published:	2018
Subjects:	GE Environmental Sciences
Online Access:	http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/30473/1/Teresa.pdf
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spelling	my-unimas-ir.304732023-04-17T02:59:51Z Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak 2018 Heng, Teresa Lee Eng GE Environmental Sciences Water is important for living organisms. The increase of human activities along a river affects the water quality and sediment characteristics. This study was conducted to determine the water quality and sediment characteristics of the Batang Baleh and its tributaries and the effect of weather on the water quality. Thirty-four stations were selected along Batang Baleh and its tributaries. Five different trips were carried out from February 2015 to January 2016. One sampling took place at each station in the upstream and midstream areas of Batang Baleh whereas three trips were made to the downstream area. The results of this study show that stations near logging activities had significantly higher levels of water turbidity, TSS, COD, TP, Chl-a, NO2-N, NO3-N, TAN and Org-N, and sediment TP, TKN, OM and TOC. The range of water turbidity, TSS, COD, TP and Chl-a are 476.97 NTU – 1176.70 NTU, 487 mg/L – 1040 mg/L, 102.0 mg/L – 187.6 mg/L, 319 μg/L – 880 μg/L and 0.52 mg/m3 – 1.48 mg/m3 respectively. NO2-N, NO3-N, TAN and Org-N values range from 0.005 mg/L – 0.020 mg/L, 0.013 mg/L – 0.028 mg/L, 0.43 mg/L – 1.28 mg/L and 0.74 mg/L – 1.29 mg/L respectively. Sediment TP, TKN, OM and TOC values range from 110.5 mg/kg – 161.1 mg/kg, 793.8 mg/kg – 931.1 mg/kg, 2.17 % – 4.41 %, 0.85 % – 1.94 % respectively. Stations near longhouses had significantly higher levels of water TP, NO2-N, NO3-N and sediment TKN. The water TP, NO2-N, NO3-N and sediment TKN values ranged from 207 μg/L – 375 μg/L, 0.004 mg/L – 0.019 mg/L, 0.006 mg/L – 0.017 mg/L, 571.0 mg/kg – 895.7 mg/kg respectively. The sediment was not polluted in TP as the values did not exceed the Lowest Effect Limit of the Ontario Sediment Standards. However, nine and twenty-one stations of TOC and TKN respectively exceeded the Lowest Effect Level which means that the sediment may have adverse effect on some benthic organisms. During the wet season (January 2016), high mean values of TSS (542 mg/L) and TP (292 μg/L) reduced the water quality of the downstream area. Based on WQI, eight stations were classified as Clean and one station was Polluted while the rest were Slightly Polluted. Sungai Gaat complied with Class II of WQI and all parameters fall in Class I or Class II of NWQS during high water level. The downstream stations classified as Clean during high water level deteriorated to Slightly Polluted status during low and/or medium water levels due to a decrease in DO value and an increase in BOD and COD values. The practice of selective logging and proper discharge of municipal wastes from local villagers are needed for water quality improvement of this river. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak(UNIMAS) 2018 Thesis http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/30473/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/30473/1/Teresa.pdf text en validuser masters Universiti Malaysia Sarawak(UNIMAS) Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
institution	Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
collection	UNIMAS Institutional Repository
language	English
topic	GE Environmental Sciences
spellingShingle	GE Environmental Sciences Heng, Teresa Lee Eng Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak
description	Water is important for living organisms. The increase of human activities along a river affects the water quality and sediment characteristics. This study was conducted to determine the water quality and sediment characteristics of the Batang Baleh and its tributaries and the effect of weather on the water quality. Thirty-four stations were selected along Batang Baleh and its tributaries. Five different trips were carried out from February 2015 to January 2016. One sampling took place at each station in the upstream and midstream areas of Batang Baleh whereas three trips were made to the downstream area. The results of this study show that stations near logging activities had significantly higher levels of water turbidity, TSS, COD, TP, Chl-a, NO2-N, NO3-N, TAN and Org-N, and sediment TP, TKN, OM and TOC. The range of water turbidity, TSS, COD, TP and Chl-a are 476.97 NTU – 1176.70 NTU, 487 mg/L – 1040 mg/L, 102.0 mg/L – 187.6 mg/L, 319 μg/L – 880 μg/L and 0.52 mg/m3 – 1.48 mg/m3 respectively. NO2-N, NO3-N, TAN and Org-N values range from 0.005 mg/L – 0.020 mg/L, 0.013 mg/L – 0.028 mg/L, 0.43 mg/L – 1.28 mg/L and 0.74 mg/L – 1.29 mg/L respectively. Sediment TP, TKN, OM and TOC values range from 110.5 mg/kg – 161.1 mg/kg, 793.8 mg/kg – 931.1 mg/kg, 2.17 % – 4.41 %, 0.85 % – 1.94 % respectively. Stations near longhouses had significantly higher levels of water TP, NO2-N, NO3-N and sediment TKN. The water TP, NO2-N, NO3-N and sediment TKN values ranged from 207 μg/L – 375 μg/L, 0.004 mg/L – 0.019 mg/L, 0.006 mg/L – 0.017 mg/L, 571.0 mg/kg – 895.7 mg/kg respectively. The sediment was not polluted in TP as the values did not exceed the Lowest Effect Limit of the Ontario Sediment Standards. However, nine and twenty-one stations of TOC and TKN respectively exceeded the Lowest Effect Level which means that the sediment may have adverse effect on some benthic organisms. During the wet season (January 2016), high mean values of TSS (542 mg/L) and TP (292 μg/L) reduced the water quality of the downstream area. Based on WQI, eight stations were classified as Clean and one station was Polluted while the rest were Slightly Polluted. Sungai Gaat complied with Class II of WQI and all parameters fall in Class I or Class II of NWQS during high water level. The downstream stations classified as Clean during high water level deteriorated to Slightly Polluted status during low and/or medium water levels due to a decrease in DO value and an increase in BOD and COD values. The practice of selective logging and proper discharge of municipal wastes from local villagers are needed for water quality improvement of this river.
format	Thesis
qualification_level	Master's degree
author	Heng, Teresa Lee Eng
author_facet	Heng, Teresa Lee Eng
author_sort	Heng, Teresa Lee Eng
title	Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak
title_short	Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak
title_full	Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak
title_fullStr	Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak
title_full_unstemmed	Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak
title_sort	water quality and sediment characteristics of the batang baleh, sarawak
granting_institution	Universiti Malaysia Sarawak(UNIMAS)
granting_department	Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
publishDate	2018
url	http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/30473/1/Teresa.pdf
_version_	1783728384481689600

Water Quality and Sediment Characteristics of the Batang Baleh, Sarawak

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