TRACE DETERMINATION OF WATERBORNE ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN THE KLANG RIVER BASIN

Abstract

The Klang River Basin is subjected to a high level of pollutant discharge from its strategic location in the most heavily industrialized region of Malaysia. Steps are being undertaken for the abatement and control of pollutant discharge into this waterway to improve its river water quality. In order to enable the authorities concerned to establish some guidelines for the river water quality standards, it is imperative that some data be obtained on the priority organic pollutant levels in this river basin. Monitoring studies of this nature were undertaken with respect to some priority organic pollutants such as phenols, organochlorine pesticides and PCBs by GC and HPLC. The results of such studies have shown the presence of trace levels of chlorinated pesticides such as BHC, DDE, DDT and heptachlor, PCBs such as Arochlor 1254, 1242 and 1260 in the river water samples. Some phenolic compounds such as 2, 4-dinitrophenol, 4, 6-dinitro-2-methylphenol and phenol were also identified from the water samples.