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Analysis of Chemical Contaminations in Natural Resources

Received: 30 July 2014     Accepted: 15 August 2014     Published: 20 August 2014
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Abstract

Natural forest resources like Sundarbans mangroves in Asia including Bangladesh, India, and East Africa previously contained a much fuller range of species (Seidensticker, and Hai, 1983; Khan, 1997). In the Southeast Asian region, species diversity of mangroves was previously much higher, where approximately two-thirds of all species and 70% of the major vegetation types with 15% of terrestrial species in the Bangladesh-India-Malayan realm have already been destroyed (Ellison, 1998, 2000). Despite this designation, this natural forest resources (Sundarbans) in Bangladesh has been facing tremendous problems, including that of dieback (top-dying), human destructions, deforestations, illicit fellings, miss-management of the main tree species (Heritiera fomes) which is affecting millions of trees. The cause of this dieback is still not well understood unknown. The present work has investigated one of the possible factors that might be causing this top-dying, namely the concentrations of various chemical elements present in the sediments, particularly heavy metals, though other chemical parameters such as the pH, salinity, moisture content of the sediment and nutrient status were also assessed. Tree height and trunk diameter were determined as indications of tree growth, counts of seedlings and saplings were made to assess regeneration success, and the intensity of top-dying within the sampled plots was recorded on a rank scale. However, the present results have showed that Sn, Exchangeable K, soil pH, Pb , Zn and Ni could be directly linked with top-dying disease of Heritiera fomes (Sundri) in Sundarbans, probably particularly by weakening the vigor of the trees and people and allowing other factors such as pathological agents to attack the plants and surrounding people in Sundarbans, Bangladesh (Awal, 2014). In fact, from since then and still now, the natural resource of Bangladesh like Sundarbans is being disturbed ecologically by human destruction.

Published in American Journal of Chemical Engineering (Volume 2, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13
Page(s) 48-58
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Chemical Contamination, Abnormal Elemental Concentration, Health Problems, Causal Factors, Heavy Metal Concentrations, Chemical Contamination, Pollution, Natural Resources Degradations, Sundarbans, Top-Dying

References
[1] Awal, M.A. (2007). Analysis of possible environmental factors causing top-dying in mangrove forest trees in the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. PhD thesis, University of Bradford.
[2] Awal, M.A., Hale, W.H.G. & Stern, B. (2009). Trace element concentrations in mangrove sediments in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 58(12), 1944-1948.
[3] Awal, M.A. (2014). “Correlation between the chemical composition of the surface sediment and water in the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh, and the regeneration, growth and dieback of the forest trees and people health”..Journal of Science Innovation; 2014. 2(2): pp.11-21.Science Publishing Group, USA; May 20th, 2014(2):11-21;doi: 10.11648/j/si.20140202.11.
[4] Asian Development Bank, 1993-95. Main Plan-1993/2012. Vol.1. Forestry Master Plan. Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines.
[5] Anonymous, 1986. Mangroves in India: Status Report, Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi, 150 pp.
[6] Anonymous, 1986. Sundri trees fast reducing. The Bangladesh Observer, 1st. December, 1986.
[7] Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 2006. Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh, Statistics Division. Ministry of Planning. Dhaka, Bangladesh.
[8] Bari, A. 1993. Afforestation and the nutrient sink. Assistance to Fisheries Research Institute. Mymensingh. BGD / 89 / 012, Field Document-3.
[9] Burns, K.A; S. D. Garrity, and S.C. Levings. 1993. How many years until mangrove ecosystems recover from catastrophic spills? Marine Pollution Bulletin 26 (5): 239-248.
[10] Chaffey, D. R; Miller, F.R; Sandom, J. H. 1985. A forest inventory of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh, Main report, Project Report No.140, 196 pp; Overseas Development Administration, London, U.K:195-196.
[11] Chantarasri, S. 1994. Integrated Resource Development of the Sundarban, Fisheries Resources Mangagement for the Sundarban, UNDP / FAO, BGD / 84 / 056, Khulna, Bangladeshp: 170-172.
[12] Chowdhury, A.M. 1984. Integrated Development of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh: Silvicultural Aspects of the Sundarbans. FAO Report No / TCP/ BGD/ 2309 (Mf), W / R003.
[13] Chowdhury, M. I. 1984. Morphological, hydrological and ecological aspects of the Sundarbans. FAO report N0. FO: TCP/BGD/2309(Mf) W /R0027, 32 P.
[14] Christensen, B. 1984. Integrated development of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh: Ecological aspects of the Sundarbans. Reported prepared for the Government of Bangladesh. FAO report no. FO: TCP/ BGD/2309(MF) W/ R0030.
[15] Faizuddin, M. 2003. Research on the Top Dying of Sundri in Bangladesh: 43, Mangrove Silviculture Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Khulna, Bangldesh.
[16] Faizuddin, M. and Islam, S.A. 2003. Generated Technology and Usable Information of the Mangrove Silviculture. Mangrove Silviculture Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Khulna, p. 17.
[17] FAO, 1993. Forest resources assessment 1990: Tropical countries. FAO Forestry Paper. 112, Rome, 98-102p.
[18] FAO, 1994. Review of the state of world marine fisheries resources. FAO Fisheries resources. FAO Fisheries Technical Approach Paper 335:143.
[19] Gibson, I.A.S. 1975. Reports on a visit to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, 28 February to 1 April 1975.Unpublished Report, ODA, London, 28pp.
[20] Government of Bangladesh, (1993). Forestry Master Plan: Executive Summary. Asian Development Bank, UNDP/FAOBGD/88/025, Forest Department, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka.31p.
[21] Government of Bangladesh, (2006).Mosaic of Bangladesh; 2006; External Publicity Wing; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; p:1-145
[22] Hambrey, J. 1999. Mangrove, Fisheries and Economic. Aquaculture and Aquatic Resource Management Program. Asian Institute of Technology. Thailand: 1-4.
[23] Harris, L. D. (1984). The Fragmented Forest: Island Biogeographic Theory and the Preservation of Biotic Diversity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
[24] Hussain, Z. and Karim, A. (1994). Introduction. In: Mangroves of the Sundarbans. Volume 2: Bangladesh, Z. Hussain and G. Acharya (Eds.) IUCN. Bankok, Thailand. !-18 pp.
[25] Islam, M. A.1993. Some Relevant Information about Sundarban. Sundarbans Forest Division, Khulna, Bangladesh, p. 21.
[26] Mukharjee, A. K. 1975. The Sundarbans of India and its biota. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 72 (1):1-20.
[27] Rahman, M.A. 2003. Genetic Approach to mitigate the top Dying Problem of Heritiera fomes in the Mangrove Forests, Khulna University, Bangladesh, 87pp.
[28] Rahman, M.A. 2003. Mid-term Report on Top Dying of Sundri (Heritiera fomes) and Its Management in the Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project, Khulna.109pp.
[29] Seidensticker, J. Hai; A. 1983. The Sundarbans wildlife management plan: conservation in the Bangladesh (cited in Chaffey et al., 1985), Bangladesh.
[30] Tiner, R. W; J R. (1984). Wetlands of the United States: Current Status and Recent Trends. Newton Corner, Massachusetts: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Habitat Resources.
[31] UN-ESCAP, 1987. Final Report: Volume 2. Coastal environment management plan for Bangladesh. Bangkok, Thailand.
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    Awal Mohd Abdul. (2014). Analysis of Chemical Contaminations in Natural Resources. American Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2(4), 48-58. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13

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    ACS Style

    Awal Mohd Abdul. Analysis of Chemical Contaminations in Natural Resources. Am. J. Chem. Eng. 2014, 2(4), 48-58. doi: 10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13

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    AMA Style

    Awal Mohd Abdul. Analysis of Chemical Contaminations in Natural Resources. Am J Chem Eng. 2014;2(4):48-58. doi: 10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13,
      author = {Awal Mohd Abdul},
      title = {Analysis of Chemical Contaminations in Natural Resources},
      journal = {American Journal of Chemical Engineering},
      volume = {2},
      number = {4},
      pages = {48-58},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajche.20140204.13},
      abstract = {Natural forest resources like Sundarbans mangroves in Asia including Bangladesh, India, and East Africa previously contained a much fuller range of species (Seidensticker, and Hai, 1983; Khan, 1997). In the Southeast Asian region, species diversity of mangroves was previously much higher, where approximately two-thirds of all species and 70% of the major vegetation types with 15% of terrestrial species in the Bangladesh-India-Malayan realm have already been destroyed (Ellison, 1998, 2000). Despite this designation, this natural forest resources (Sundarbans) in Bangladesh has been facing tremendous problems, including that of dieback (top-dying), human destructions, deforestations, illicit fellings, miss-management of the main tree species (Heritiera fomes) which is affecting millions of trees. The cause of this dieback is still not well understood unknown. The present work has investigated one of the possible factors that might be causing this top-dying, namely the concentrations of various chemical elements present in the sediments, particularly heavy metals, though other chemical parameters such as the pH, salinity, moisture content of the sediment and nutrient status were also assessed. Tree height and trunk diameter were determined as indications of tree growth, counts of seedlings and saplings were made to assess regeneration success, and the intensity of top-dying within the sampled plots was recorded on a rank scale. However, the present results have showed that Sn, Exchangeable K, soil pH, Pb , Zn and Ni could be directly linked with top-dying disease of Heritiera fomes (Sundri) in Sundarbans, probably particularly by weakening the vigor of the trees and people and allowing other factors such as pathological agents to attack the plants and surrounding people in Sundarbans, Bangladesh (Awal, 2014). In fact, from since then and still now, the natural resource of Bangladesh like Sundarbans is being disturbed ecologically by human destruction.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Analysis of Chemical Contaminations in Natural Resources
    AU  - Awal Mohd Abdul
    Y1  - 2014/08/20
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajche.20140204.13
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    T2  - American Journal of Chemical Engineering
    JF  - American Journal of Chemical Engineering
    JO  - American Journal of Chemical Engineering
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    AB  - Natural forest resources like Sundarbans mangroves in Asia including Bangladesh, India, and East Africa previously contained a much fuller range of species (Seidensticker, and Hai, 1983; Khan, 1997). In the Southeast Asian region, species diversity of mangroves was previously much higher, where approximately two-thirds of all species and 70% of the major vegetation types with 15% of terrestrial species in the Bangladesh-India-Malayan realm have already been destroyed (Ellison, 1998, 2000). Despite this designation, this natural forest resources (Sundarbans) in Bangladesh has been facing tremendous problems, including that of dieback (top-dying), human destructions, deforestations, illicit fellings, miss-management of the main tree species (Heritiera fomes) which is affecting millions of trees. The cause of this dieback is still not well understood unknown. The present work has investigated one of the possible factors that might be causing this top-dying, namely the concentrations of various chemical elements present in the sediments, particularly heavy metals, though other chemical parameters such as the pH, salinity, moisture content of the sediment and nutrient status were also assessed. Tree height and trunk diameter were determined as indications of tree growth, counts of seedlings and saplings were made to assess regeneration success, and the intensity of top-dying within the sampled plots was recorded on a rank scale. However, the present results have showed that Sn, Exchangeable K, soil pH, Pb , Zn and Ni could be directly linked with top-dying disease of Heritiera fomes (Sundri) in Sundarbans, probably particularly by weakening the vigor of the trees and people and allowing other factors such as pathological agents to attack the plants and surrounding people in Sundarbans, Bangladesh (Awal, 2014). In fact, from since then and still now, the natural resource of Bangladesh like Sundarbans is being disturbed ecologically by human destruction.
    VL  - 2
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Author Information
  • Environmental Scientist (Ministry of Environment and Forest), Founder & Chief Advisor, Health & Pollution Research Farm, Present Address: 23-09-37 Ave, Long Island City, New York, USA

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