Physio-Chemical Assessment of Industrial Effluents in Chattogram, Bangladesh

Abstract

Marzina Ajrin and Md Shahidul Islam

Rapid industrialization is adversely impacting the environment globally. The study was carried out to evaluate the biophysical properties of samples contaminated by unplanned industrialization in terms of Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) efficiency and availability. So, the study aims to evaluate the present scenario of water and air pollution by industrial discharges in order to create public awareness and its impact on public. The study area is Chittagong, the second largest metropolis of Bangladesh and the economic gateway of the country, is situated on the right bank of the river Karnaphuli. This research study was carried out in five industries as a sampling station before and after treatment of industrial discharges and covered mainly winter and dry seasons from Nov 2016 to July 2019.The obtained range of results of waste water were 151-454 mg L-1 for total suspended solids (TSS), 2129-2,999 mg L-1 for total dissolved solids (TDS), 2284-5710 mg L-1 for Total solids, 107-864mg L-1 for hardness, 2.26-7.02mg L-1 for dissolved oxygen, 61-191 mg L-1 for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), 196-260 mg L-1 for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 0.009 mg L-1 for Cd, Here almost all the parameters of industrial discharges are out of range prescribed by the Department of Environment (DoE), Bangladesh which is so much frightening. So, the properly untreated industrial discharges mainly heavy metals are deposited in human bodies through food cycle and inhalation particulate matters impacts on human body. It was observed that all of the industries in the selected area did not establish the ETP section. Most of the used experimental industries almost possessed similar types of ETP and their effluent treatment ways were capable to decrease their different parameters but not effective to maintain the standard discharge limit prescribed by the DoE. Finally, it can be said that like terrorism, our government should take zero tolerance policy against industrial pollution for our existence and then we can save our environment.

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