Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Navigational Carrying Capacities of Bengoh Reservoir for Potential Aquaculture and Recreational Developments

This paper quantifies the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and navigational carrying capacities of Bengoh Reservoir for potential fish cage culture and recreational developments. The pollutant degradation coefficients (k) and pollutant carrying capacities (tons/day) of the reservoir were determined. The computed pollutant degradation coefficients were primarily based on the hydrological information of the catchment, hydraulic and operational details of the dam, and the targeted water quality standards of the river-connected Bengoh Reservoir. The maximum allowable pollutant loading rate (tons/year) defines the reservoir’s maximum Waste Assimilative Capacity (WAC) on specific pollutants (BOD, N and P), while in compliance to the targeted benchmark with the receivable pollutant loadings.  It was found that the current BOD, TN and TP loading rates are 0.308 ton/day, 0.119 ton/day and 0.114 ton/day, respectively. To comply with Class I Standards of the National Water Quality Standards of Malaysia (NWQSM), the Maximum Allowable Loading Rates of BOD can be as high as 92.24 tons/day as compared to the current loading rate of 0.308 ton/day, maximum TN loading of 116.63 tons/day versus current 0.119 ton/day, and maximum TP loading  at 125.54 tons/day versus current 0.114 ton/day. It was also found that the maximum number 218 cages (225 fish/cage) of Tilapia would be allowed in Bengoh Reservoir so as to comply with Class I of NWQSM. Based on the peak level of the reservoir recreational types of use in demand and the mix of public and private access, the navigational carrying capacity of the reservoir was estimated to be about 130 boats

Environmental Burden of Heavy Metal Contamination Levels in Soil from Sewage Irrigation Area of Geriyo Catchment, Nigeria

The heavy metal concentration levels and contamination/pollution index of agricultural soils taken from 0 – 30 cm depth from site I and II of sewage irrigation area and from a control site of Geriyo catchment in Adamawa State, Nigeria was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer standard method. The mean concentration levels of trace and heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cd, Cr and Pb) at site I are 89.90 mg/kg for Fe, 74.39 mg/kg for Zn, 12.79 mg/kg for Mn, 15.09 mg/kg for Cu, 9.86 mg/kg for Cd, 11.2 mg/kg for Cr and 7.18 mg/kg for Pb, while at site II, the concentrations levels of  294.7 mg/kg for Fe, 310.2 mg/kg for Zn, 131.9 mg/kg for Mn, 254.8 mg/kg for Cu, 240.2 mg/kg for Cd, 199.6 mg/kg for Cr and 159.2 mg/kg for Pb were observed. The concentration levels of trace and heavy metals of site II soil is significantly higher than site I and the control site with values of (Cu, Cd, Cr and Pb) mostly above the maximum permissible heavy metal concentration levels in soil set out by EU, UK and USA. The contamination/pollution index assessment of the soils revealed that the soils belong to slight pollution to excessive heavy metal pollution soil category with the potentials of negative effect on plants and ground water reserve contamination. Leaching and liming of the soil to reduce the level of metals is recommended in the context of very high land competition for sustainable agricultural productivity. Keywords: Sewage irrigation, heavy metal, pollution index, soil, Geriyo catchmen

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Adoption in Sarawak (Malaysia): Implementation Motivations

Environmental management has been in the process of evolution since Industrial Revolutions of 18th and 19th centuries. And the more recent is the development of international environmental management standards and guidelines to facilitate global trade. These environmental management standards and guidelines are usually known as Environmental Management Systems (EMS). This research investigates the implementation motivations in relation to EMS adoption in Sarawak, Malaysia organizations. Empirical findings of a survey on the above in Sarawak organizations are presented. About 112 survey questionnaires invitations were forwarded to various organizations in Sarawak and a total of 47 responses were received. The results of this research show that among the Sarawak organizations, the top three implementation motivations or benefits from implementing EMS according to their importance by the Sarawak EMS user’s organizations are 1) Legal compliance as the top benefit of EMS implementation; 2) Improvement in operational environmental protection; and 3) Corporate image advantages.Environmental management has been in the process of evolution since Industrial Revolutions of 18th and 19th centuries. And the more recent is the development of international environmental management standards and guidelines to facilitate global trade. These environmental management standards and guidelines are usually known as Environmental Management Systems (EMS). This research investigates the implementation motivations in relation to EMS adoption in Sarawak, Malaysia organizations. Empirical findings of a survey on the above in Sarawak organizations are presented. About 112 survey questionnaires invitations were forwarded to various organizations in Sarawak and a total of 47 responses were received. The results of this research show that among the Sarawak organizations, the top three implementation motivations or benefits from implementing EMS according to their importance by the Sarawak EMS user’s organizations are 1) Legal compliance as the top benefit of EMS implementation; 2) Improvement in operational environmental protection; and 3) Corporate image advantages

Impact of Implementation of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems on Environmental Performance: A Case Study

The Environmental Management System (EMS) structure recognizes that both environmental and economic performances are directly linked with each other. The primarily objective of implementing an EMS is to improve an organization’s environmental performance continuously. Benefits of successful implementation of an EMS would include cost reduction in pollution prevention activities, compliance with legislation requirements, and a better organizational image internationally and locally. This study looks into one of the most common EMS frameworks, namely ISO 14001 EMS. This study also investigates the relation of EMS implementation to environmental performance improvement. Empirical findings of a recent study on the above in a manufacturing facility which implemented ISO 14001 EMS are presented. This company had been implemented ISO 14001 EMS since 2004 and certified in early 2005. From January 2004 until August 2010, a total of thirteen Environmental Management Programs (EMP) were implemented. Out of the thirteen EMP implemented, five EMP were for legal compliances; four EMP were for environmental operational control and the other four were for cost reduction through water and chemical conservation. In August 2010, eleven EMP had already achieved the environmental performance indicators set, compliance to legal requirements and better environmental operational control that resulted in better environmental performance; water and chemical conservation that led to cost reductions. The other two EMP were still on-going while some new EMP were planned too

A predictive study : carbon monoxide emission modeling at a signalized intersection

CAL3QHC dispersion model was used to predict the present and future carbon monoxide (CO) levels at a busy signalized intersection. This study attempted to identify CO “hot-spots” at nearby areas of the intersection during typical A.M. and P.M. peak hours. The CO concentration “hot-spots” had been identified at 101 Commercial Park and the simulated maximum 1-hour Time-Weighted Average (1-h TWA) ground level CO concentrations of 18.3 ppm and 18.6 ppm had been observed during A.M. and P.M. peaks, respectively in year 2006. This study shows that there would be no significant increment in CO level for year 2014 although a substantial increase in the number of vehicles is assumed to affect CO levels. It was also found that CO levels would be well below the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guideline of 30 ppm (1-h TWA). Comparisons between the measured and simulated CO levels using quantitative data analysis technique and statistical methods indicated that CAL3QHC dispersion model correlated well with measured data

Applications of GIS and remote sensing in the hydrological study of the Upper Bernam River Basin, Malaysia

Rising concern over the degradation of the environment, such as erosion and sediment loads, warrants the integration of the complex and dispersed geographical data sets. This paper describes the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing for assessing the impact of land use changes to water turbidity in multiple watersheds. In this study, necessary data sets representing land uses, hydrology, weather, soils, elevation, and surface characteristics were integrated in a GIS in tabular, vector and grid formats. The land use maps that were derived from Landsat-5 TM imagery using a combination of different classification strategies gave an average accuracy of 95 %. Results from data analysis had shown that there exists a close relationship existed between the extent of open area and sedimentation loading rate. However, the sediment loading rates were found to be non-linear ranging from 1.47 to 2.13 tonnes per millimeter of rainfall for each kilometer-square increase of open areas, depending on their location of open areas with respect to factors such as availability of sediment, soil type, slope length, and slope steepness etc

A Parabolic-Curvilinear Reverse-Flow Air-Flotation System (PAF) for Removal of Suspended Solids in Sago Starch Production Wastewater Effluents

A Parabolic-Curvilinear Reverse-Flow Air-Flotation Treatment System (PAF) was recently developed for the removal of total suspended solids from sago starch production wastewater effluents. The primary components of the system consist of a parabolic-curved plate, a series of water pumps, an air curtain and valve-froth collection plates to repeat bubbling treatment in a gradually increasing movement flow. Performance tests were carried out by using synthesized sago wastewaters. Performance tests were carried out to determine the total suspended solids and turbidity removal efficiencies. Total suspended solids of the synthesized sago wastewaters ranged from 95 to 515 mg/L, 86.9 to 413 NTU for turbidity and 5.44 to 7.43 for pH. The total suspended solids and turbidity removal efficiencies of this system were found to be proportional to residence time, and inversely proportional to influent flowrate. The highest achievable total suspended solids and turbidity removal efficiencies for this treatment system recorded 85.63% and 77.89%, respectively. The presence of parabolic-curved plate in the system could improve the removal efficiencies as high as 34.22% for total suspended solids and 37.82% for turbidity. The system performance can further be improved by 13.65% for total suspended solids removal and 24.49% for turbidity removal with the installation of air curtain whilst 9.04% for total suspended solids removals and 6.03% for turbidity removals with the installation of water pumps in the system. Additional 17.2% of total suspended solids and 3.1% of turbidity level removals could be achieved by application of chemicals, i.e., alum and sodium aluminate

Physiochemical Characteristic of Sago (Metroxylon Sagu) Starch Production Wastewater Effluents

The physiochemical characteristics of sago starch production wastewater effluents was recently studied. Sago wastewater effluent samples were obtained from a sago factory located in Sarawak, Malaysia and sent to accredited laboratories for particle size distribution and water quality analyses. The findings of this study concluded that sago wastewater effluents from this region are whitish and greyish brown (pH 4.20) in color with majority supra-colloidal or settable suspended solids of particle size ranged from 4.477 µm to 1.18 mm (of 95% volume). The starch content of this wastewater effluents are less than 7% whilst the pollutant parameters (total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand) measured 10,900 mg/L, 5,820 mg/L and 10,220 mg/L, respectively. Pre-filtration of the wastewater effluents has resulted reduction of the pollutants content as high as 66% of total suspended solids, 20% of biochemical oxygen demand and 22% of chemical oxygen demand while improved pH in a range of 0.05-0.45%

Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing In The Hydrological Study Of The Upper Bernam River Basin, Malaysia

Rising concern over the degradation of the environment, such as erosion and sediment loads, warrants the integration of the complex and dispersed geographical data sets. This paper describes the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing for assessing the impact of land use changes to water turbidity in multiple watersheds. In this study, necessary data sets representing land uses, hydrology, weather, soils, elevation, and surface characteristics were integrated in a GIS in tabular, vector and grid formats. The land use maps that were derived from Landsat-5 TM imagery using a combination of different classification strategies gave an average accuracy of 95 %. Results from data analysis had shown that there exists a close relationship existed between the extent of open area and sedimentation loading rate. However, the sediment loading rates were found to be non-linear ranging from 1.47 to 2.13 tonnes per millimeter of rainfall for each kilometer-square increase of open areas, depending on their location of open areas with respect to factors such as availability of sediment, soil type, slope length, and slope steepness etc

A study of hydraulic characteristics for flow in equatorial rivers

This paper presents the results obtained from field measurements taken in several frequently flooded equitorial rivers, including velocity distributions,stage discharge relationships, roughness behaviours and discharge estimation. These have illustrated the large difference in velocity between the mainchannel and floodplain under flood conditions, and the effects of momentum transfer between deep and shallow flow, which include reduction in mainchannel velocity and discharge capacity, leading to a reduction in compound section capacity at depth above bankfull. Another significant characteristicthat has been found is that the floodplain regions behave as storage reservoirs (V=0 m/s) in most cases due to high resistance of long and thick grassesalong the flood plains (n=0.07−0.1). Flow resistance relationships have been presented in terms of Manning’s coefficient and Darcy-Weisbachfriction factor, showing the complex nature of flow resistance in the rivers and further explaining the danger inherent in the conventional practicesofextrapolating inbank data for the analysis of overbank flows. Results for discharge estimation have been shown for comparison with actual data, theerrors incurred by applying empirical methods to compound channel flows have been quantified and found to depend on the particular method use