Air pollutants from bauxite mining activity at Bukit Goh, Pahang

Abstract

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to human health. Bauxite mining activity is not known to most Malaysian except recently due to environmental pollution issues in Kuantan, Pahang. These studies focus on the air pollutants from the bauxite mining activity at Bukit Goh, Pahang. Uncontrolled bauxite mining activity is a phenomenon that causes deterioration of air quality at Bukit Goh. Aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and total suspended particulate (TSP) are the seven pollutants that were measured in this study. The concentration of air pollutants was measured at four air monitoring stations i.e. station 1, 2, 3, and 4. The air monitoring stations located based on the difference coordinates. From the study, the content of Al, Fe, Si, Ti, and TSP were determined by using the MiniVol Portable Air Sampler. Al, Fe, Si, and Ti were determined by the analysis of the TSP trapped on the filter paper. The readings were recorded for 24 hours. O3and NO2 were measured using Toxic Gas TG-501. The readings were recorded for 1 hour. The samples collected were analysed using the Gaussian Plume Dispersion Model (GPDM) to estimate the concentration of a pollutant. While Surfer 8 Software was used to determine the air pollution distribution. The data of wind speeds were obtained from the Jabatan Meteorologi Pahang. The result of air pollutants was compared using the mean speed of 1.8 m/s and maximum speed of 2.7 m/s. It was found that the maximum concentrations of air pollutants exist at the mean speed of 1.8 m/s. From the results analysis, the concentrations of O3, NO2, TSP, Al, Si, and Ti are 82.250µg/m³, 263.784µg/m³, 306.330µg/m³, 27.496µg/m³, 110.449µg/m³, and 0.5080µg/m³ respectively. But Fe is not found in this study. TSP shows a high value of concentration because it is higher than the value in the Recommended Malaysian Air Quality Guidelines. According to the Recommended Malaysian Air Quality Guidelines, the maximum concentration of TSP is 260µg/m³. This shows that the environment in Bukit Goh is polluted. In this study, the concentrations and distributions of air pollutants are influenced by meteorological factors.