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78:5–4 (2015) 29–32 | www.jurnalteknologi.utm.my | eISSN 2180–3722 |
Jurnal
Teknologi
Full Paper
WATER QUALITY OBSERVATION ON JOHOR
RIVER ESTUARY AND EAST TEBRAU STRAIT,
MALAYSIA
Zulhafizal Othmana*, Marfiah Ab. Wahidb, Wei-Koon Leec, Zummy
Dahria Mohamed Basrib
aFaculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (Pahang),
Malaysia
bFaculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam,
Malaysia
cFluvial & River Engineering Dynamics Group (FRiEnD), IIESM,
Faculty of Civil Engineering, UiTM, Shah Alam, Malaysia
Article history
Received
8 June 2015
Received in revised form
9 December 2015
Accepted
10 December 2015
*Corresponding author
zulhafizal445@pahang.
uitm.edu.my
Graphical abstract
Abstract
Coastal reclamation activities on the coastline of Johor, which are underway seen to be
affecting the quality of coastal waters and rivers nearby. Therefore, this study was
undertaken to monitor and identify the extent to which the assumptions say that the water
quality will be affected by the results of the coastal reclamation activities. After a couple of
water sampling locations are identified, reading the parameters of water quality were
conducted. The results of the monitoring conducted found that the water qualities in that
area are in good condition.
Keywords: Water quality, Tebrau river, Coastal reclamation
© 2016 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Situated at south of Peninsular Malaysia, the
condition of Johor is isolated from the neighboring
country Singapore by Tebrau Strait (otherwise called
Johor Strait). Johor Causeway was developed in 1923
and remains the most essential southern gateway of
Malaysia to date. The rubble mound structure had
from that point forward partitioned the strait into the
east and west channels. Because of the absence of
vivacious blending in the relatively calm and
shielded water, water quality of the Tebrau Strait has
consequently disintegrated after some time. The East
Tebrau Strait (ETS), specifically, is cited as amongst
the most contaminated marine water in Malaysia [1].
Johor government has dispatched a task to
construct a tidal barrage across Johor River close to
Kota Tinggi. The objective of the tidal barrage is to
anticipate saline water in Johor River Estuary (JRE)
from coming to the Johor River Waterworks (JRWW)
[2][3]. JRWW is the biggest consumable water supply
to Singapore, with an average output of 250 mgd
(UK gallons)[4]. It will expected to decrease the need
of saltiness flushing from Linggiu Dam upstream, in this
way bringing down the normal riverine release into
the estuary when the structure completed.
There is the work in advancement inside of the
estuary is the notorious substantial scale coastal
reclamation at Tekong Island, Singapore. The project
site is situated at the conversion of Johor River Estuary
(JRE) and East Tebrau Strait (ETS), and had started
subsequent to late 1970s until present day. The plan
basically combines Tekong Besar Island and Tekong
Kecil Island at the upper east of Singapore into one
large land mass[5].
30 Othman Z. et al. / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering) 78:5–4 (2015) 29–32
1.1 Location of Study
1.1.1 Johor River Estuary (JRE)
With a total estimated length of 122.7 km, Johor River
(N 1°27’–1°49’, E 103°42’–104°01’) with flows from
central Johor southwards into JRE. In this study area,
the Johor River Estuary (JRE) and the adjoining East
Tebrau Strait (ETS) (Figure 1), have a combined
catchment area of up to 2,636 km2 on the Peninsular
Malaysia. The basin landscape is characterized by
primarily oil palm and rubber plantations in the south,
whereas natural forest and low land swamps in the
northern and central catchment[6].
Figure 1 Johor River Estuary and East Tebrau Strait
2.0 EXPERIMENTAL
With seventeen (17) strategic locations, denoted by
stations 1-9, were chosen along the coast of Johor
River Strait (see Figure 2) to obtain the general water
quality profile of the area under the present state.
Meanwhile station 10-17 were chosen along the East
Tebrau Strait (ETS) as shown in Figure 3. Stations 10-14
in ETS are located in the highly industrialized area. In
station 14 it can be observed the oil slick and foam,
this is because at station 14 is located the Tenaga
Nasional Berhad (TNB) Sultan Iskandar power plant.
Pasir Gudang Port is located between station 11
and 14. Navigational activities are observed to be
prevalent between stations 11 and 14. Despite the
narrow and busy strait, fish and mussel farming strive
between station 10-17, and more fishing villages dot
the coast line along Sungai Johor (e.g. station 7 and
6). The water appears to be cleaner in stations 10
until 14, compare to station 1-9 which located at JRS
with higher value of turbidity and appear to yellowish
likely due to higher sediment concentration.
Figure 2 Station 1 to 9 located along JRE
Figure 3 Station 10 to 17 located at ETS
3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table I and 2 gives the in-situ water quality measured
using Horiba U-50 Series water quality meter with
multiple-sensors and automatic calibration function.
The data represent the average readings taken for
two (2) time during day time (9am-5pm) with
temperature ranging between 28°C to just above
31°C, and water depth of up to 1.5 m. Humidity and
sunlight exposure are the factors that affected
temperature readings [7].
Specific gravity (SG), salinity, total dissolved solids
are measured using the principle of conductivity
conversions. Given σt = (SG – 1)×1000, the SG
obtained is observed to range from 13.9 to 16.5,
which station 8 and 9 give the high value of SG of
16.5 . Both the values of salinity, total dissolved solids
(TDS) and turbidity follow the trend of the σt (or SG)
value of the station. Station 2 has the lowest values
for both salinity and TDS, followed by station 1.
Horiba U-50 Series measures in-situ turbidity using
light scattering method. From the data obtained,
obviously shown station 14 give the highest value in
turbidity among station located along ETS with value
of 6.6 NTU. During the visit, the TNB Sultan Iskandar
power plant release the yellowish of water discharge
which expected effluent from the process of cooling
tower. Meanwhile, station 10, 11, 13 and 15 gives the
lowest turbidity value with 0 NTU. The water at these
station are very clear. The similarity can be seen in
this four stations are mussel farming strive activities.
The exitance of mussel can reduce pollutant and
improve water quality. The effect of mussel farming
on nitrogen cycling was modeled for the Gullmar
Fjord on the Swedish west coast and it is shown that
the net transport of nitrogen (sum of dissolved and
particulate) at the fjord mouth was reduced by 20%
[8].
The values of conductivity, pH and oxidation
reduction potential (ORP) are measured using
electrode methods. Conductivity in ETS is generally
>40 mS/cm, meanwhile in JRS ranging between 37.5
31 Othman Z. et al. / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering) 78:5–4 (2015) 29–32
to 42.8 with higest conductivity value is located at
station 14. In JRS, the conductivity value shows the
increasing trend from upstream until river mouth
(Station 9).
Table 1 In-situ water quality measurement along JRE (Station 1-9)
Station
Coordinate
Temperature
pH
ORP
COND
Turbidity
DO
TDS
Salinity
SG
°C
mV
mS/cm
NTU
(mg/L)
g/L
ppt
σt
1
1° 38' 05" N
103° 58' 20" E
28.95
9.56
189
37.5
12.7
5.61
22.9
23.8
13.9
2
1° 37' 25" N
103° 58' 20" E
29.01
9.51
219
36
12.4
7.29
21.9
22.7
13
3
1° 36' 56" N
103° 58' 45" E
29.01
9.49
227
38.9
18.6
7.32
23.7
24.7
14.5
4
1° 36' 17" N
103° 58' 29" E
29.08
9.47
226
39.9
11.5
6.98
24.3
25.5
15.1
5
1° 35' 09" N
103° 59' 38" E
29.05
9.44
228
39.7
6.4
6.54
24.2
25.3
15
6
1° 33' 56" N
104° 0' 44" E
29.11
9.43
228
42.2
9.2
6.02
25.8
27.1
16.3
7
1° 31' 59" N
104° 01' 29" E
29.16
9.42
250
42.5
10.9
5.76
25.9
27.3
16.4
8
1° 30' 01" N
104° 01' 46" E
29.3
9.41
253
42.8
23.4
5.65
26.1
27.5
16.5
9
1° 27' 53" N
104° 02' 11" E
29.38
9.41
240
42.8
23.4
5.65
26.1
27.5
16.5
Table 2 In-situ water quality measurement along ETS (Station 10-17)
Station
Coordinate
Temperature
pH
ORP
COND
Turbidity
DO
TDS
Salinity
SG
°C
ORPmV
mS/cm
NTU
(mg/L)
g/L
ppt
σt
10
1° 27' 57" N
103° 51' 23" E
29.66
7.8
222
42.8
0
3.42
26.1
27.5
16.4
11
1° 27' 15" N
103° 52' 17" E
29.41
7.69
198
42.2
0
3.24
25.7
27.1
16.2
12
1° 28' 13" N
103° 50' 46"E
29.54
7.87
234
42.5
0.4
3.69
25.9
27.3
16.3
13
1° 28' 20" N
103° 50' 40"E
29.37
7.8
242
40.2
0
3.28
24.5
25.6
15.1
14
1°26'39" N
103°52'43" E
31.8
7.96
266
43.1
6.6
3.49
26.3
27.7
15.9
15
1° 28' 47" N
103° 49' 54"E
29.87
7.85
238
42.9
0
4.43
26.1
27.6
16.4
16
1° 28' 44" N
103° 48' 27" E
29.6
7.81
246
42.7
1.4
3.32
26
27.4
16.4
17
1° 28' 34" N
103° 48' 30" E
29.85
7.9
252
42.6
1.1
3.44
26
27.3
16.2
32 Othman Z. et al. / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering) 78:5–4 (2015) 29–32
The water is generally alkaline in both ETS and JRE,
but with difference range. In ETS the pH value
ranging from 7.6 to 7.9 meanwhile in JRE the pH
value indicate higher pH value between 9.4 to 9.6.
According to National Water Quality Standard [9],
the acceptable pH value is 5.0 – 9.0. It shows that pH
value in JRE are exceeded the permissible limit.
Oxidation reduction potential (ORP) is a
measurement that indicates the degree to which a
substance is capable of oxidizing or reducing
another substance. Large, positive ORP readings are
obtained for all stations (highest at station 14, at 266
mV), indicating that the water in ETS and JRE is a
strong oxidizing agent. The dissolved oxygen (DO)
measured using polarographic method shows that in
ETS have lower DO value than in JRE with range 3.2 to
4.4 and 5.6 to 7.3 respectively. Low of DO value may
lead to anaerobic reaction [10].
4.0 CONCLUSION
We presented the field measurement of water quality
profile for JRE and ETS. From the result obtained shows
that water quality at JRE more polluted than ETS, this
is perhaps due to the construction of tidal barrage
across Johor River near to Kota Tinggi. Besides, mussel
farming strive have ability to reduce the turbidity of
water as data obtain along the ETS.
Acknowledgement
The authors acknowledge the financial support
provided by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia
(600-RMI/RAGS 5/3 (62/2013), and Research
Management Institute (RMI), Universiti Teknologi
MARA, Malaysia.
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