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Hybrid off-river augmentation system as an alternative raw water resource: the hydrogeochemistry of abandoned mining ponds


Citation

Mohd Kusin, Faradiella and Md Zahar, Mohd Syakirin and Muhammad, Siti Nurjaliah and Mohamad, Nur Diyana and Madzin, Zafira and Mohd Sharif, Sharifah (2016) Hybrid off-river augmentation system as an alternative raw water resource: the hydrogeochemistry of abandoned mining ponds. Environmental Earth Sciences, 75 (3). art. no. 230. pp. 1-15. ISSN 1866-6280; ESSN: 1866-6299

Abstract

The use of water from abandoned mining ponds under a hybrid off-river augmentation system (HORAS) has been initiated as an alternative water resource for raw water. However, it raises the questions over the safety of the use of such waters. In this study, the hydrogeochemical analysis of the waters is presented to assess the degree to which the water has been contaminated. Comparisons were made between sampling sites, i.e. abandoned mining ponds, active sand mining ponds and the receiving streams within Bestari Jaya, Selangor River basin. The aqueous geochemistry analysis showed different hydrochemical signatures of major elements between sites, indicating different sources of minerals in the water. Discharges from the sand mining ponds were found to contain elevated availability of dissolved concentrations of iron, manganese, lead, copper and zinc, among others. However, the quality of the water (from the main river) that is supplied for potable water consumption is at a satisfactory level despite being partly sourced from the abandoned mining ponds. In fact, all the metal concentrations detected were well below the Malaysia Ministry of Health guideline limits for untreated raw water. In addition, the results of the geochemical index analysis (i.e. geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor and modified contamination factor) showed that the rivers and abandoned mining ponds were generally unpolluted with respect to the metals found in sediments.


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Additional Metadata

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Faculty of Environmental Studies
DOI Number: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4981-7
Publisher: Springer
Keywords: Abandoned mine; Geochemical index; Heavy metals; HORAS; Hydrogeochemistry; Water supply
Depositing User: Nabilah Mustapa
Date Deposited: 08 Jun 2016 01:30
Last Modified: 20 Apr 2017 03:45
Altmetrics: http://www.altmetric.com/details.php?domain=psasir.upm.edu.my&doi=10.1007/s12665-015-4981-7
URI: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16297
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