Water Quality of Coal Ash Pond and Its Impact on Adjoining Surface and Groundwater Systems

Tamjid -Us-Sakib¹, Sharmin Sultana^1, , Aninda Nafis Ahmed², Md. Anwar Arfien Khan³ and Madhu Sudan Saha¹

¹Institute of Mining, Mineralogy and Metallurgy, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Joypurhat, Bangladesh

²Pilot Plant and Process development Centre, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh

³Leather Research Institute, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and industrial Research, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Cite this paper

Tamjid -Us-Sakib, Sharmin Sultana, Aninda Nafis Ahmed, Md. Anwar Arfien Khan and Madhu Sudan Saha. Water Quality of Coal Ash Pond and Its Impact on Adjoining Surface and Groundwater Systems. American Journal of Water Resources. 2018; 6(4):176-180. doi: 10.12691/AJWR-6-4-5

Abstract

This study was performed to know the quality of coal ash pond water of Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant (BTPP) and its impact on the surrounding surface and ground water systems. Three different types of water samples i.e., directly from coal ash pond, nearby surface water and groundwater system were investigated. Physico-chemical parameters [pH, EC, TDS, Turbidity, DO and BOD] and different heavy metals [Pb, Cr, Fe, Zn and Cu] of water samples were determined. The concentrations of heavy metals were found very high in the investigated area. The contamination level was measured through different water pollution indices such as heavy metal pollution index (HPI), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), and degree of contamination (C_d). According to water quality standards of Bangladesh standard and International standards it was indicated that this water was highly polluted with regards to Pb, Cr, Fe, Zn and Cu. From this study it can be suggested that if necessary steps should not be taken in near future the heavy metal contamination of coal ash pond will be a serious threat to human and environment. This research will enhance the public awareness about heavy metal contamination.

Keywords

coal ash pond, water quality standard, heavy metal pollution indices, thermal power plant

Copyright

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