Journal of Multidisciplinary Applied Natural Science
Open Access Journal
Scopus CiteScore 2024
4.8
Calculated on 05 May, 2025
SJR 2024
0.31
Powered by scimagojr.com
Open Access Journal
4.8
Calculated on 05 May, 2025
0.31
Powered by scimagojr.com
https://doi.org/10.47352/jmans.2774-3047.294
Fasihah Mohd Yusof
Nor Rohaizah Jamil
Tin mining activities pose significant environmental risks, particularly to adjacent water bodies, by releasing pollutants that degrade water quality and disrupt aquatic ecosystems. This study investigates the water quality impacts of tin mining in the upstream region of Sungai Rui, Perak, a tropical river system that supports the endemic Thynnichthys thynnoides. Using the QUAL2K water quality model, five scenarios were simulated to assess the effects of mining phases and management practices on key water quality parameters, with a focus on total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), pH, and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₃-N). Results revealed that during construction without mitigation, TSS levels at the project site (WQ9) increased from a baseline of 49.84 mg/L (NWQS Class II) to 3,979.86 mg/L (Class V). Under tailing pond outburst conditions, BOD at WQ3 (Sg. Rui–Perak confluence) rose from 3.19 mg/L (Class II) to 23.73 mg/L (Class V), and NH₃-N spiked from 0.155 mg/L to 11.39 mg/L (Class V). pH levels also dropped from 7.65 to 6.08, indicating increased acidity. The application of best management practices (BMPs) during construction significantly reduced TSS to 47.97 mg/L, showing near-baseline recovery. These findings underscore the severe impact of unmitigated mining activities on river water quality and highlight the importance of BMPs and regulatory enforcement. The model also illustrates the limited dilution capacity of downstream rivers under high pollution loads, reinforcing the need for preventive measures at the source.
[1] M. Vladimirova, L. Kirova, and I. Traykov. (2024). "Phytotoxicological assessment of AMD affected river waters in “Sredna Gora”, Bulgaria to Lepidium sativum L". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 1305 (1). 10.1088/1755-1315/1305/1/012010.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1305/1/012010[2] M. T. Anees, M. M. A. Khan, M. O. A. Kadir, K. Abdelrahman, A. M. Eldosouky, P. Andráš, N. K. B. E. M. Yahaya, Z. Johar, M. S. Fnais, and F. M. Omar. (2022). "A New Scenario-Based Approach for Water Quality and Environmental Impact Assessment Due to Mining Activities". Water. 14 (13). 10.3390/w14132117.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w14132117[3] J. Mulopo. (2015). "Continuous pilot scale assessment of the alkaline barium calcium desalination process for acid mine drainage treatment". Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 3 (2): 1295-1302. 10.1016/j.jece.2014.12.001.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2014.12.001[4] Z. Madzin, M. F. Shai-in, and F. M. Kusin. (2015). "Comparing Heavy Metal Mobility in Active and Abandoned Mining Sites at Bestari Jaya, Selangor". Procedia Environmental Sciences. 30 : 232-237. 10.1016/j.proenv.2015.10.042.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2015.10.042[5] D. Adamovic, D. Ishiyama, S. Dordievski, Y. Ogawa, Z. Stevanovic, H. Kawaraya, H. Sato, L. Obradovic, V. Marinkovic, J. Petrovic, and V. Gardic. (2021). "Estimation and comparison of the environmental impacts of acid mine drainage‐bearing river water in the Bor and Majdanpek porphyry copper mining areas in Eastern Serbia". Resource Geology. 71 (2): 123-143. 10.1111/rge.12254.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/rge.12254[6] G. Bird, P. A. Brewer, M. G. Macklin, M. Nikolova, T. Kotsev, M. Mollov, and C. Swain. (2009). "Dispersal of Contaminant Metals in the Mining-Affected Danube and Maritsa Drainage Basins, Bulgaria, Eastern Europe". Water, Air, and Soil Pollution. 206 (1-4): 105-127. 10.1007/s11270-009-0090-0.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-009-0090-0[7] M. N. A. Amal, A. Ismail, N. S. Nasruddin, and F. Rahman. (2015). "Notes on the Spawning Activity of the Tiny Scale Barb (Thynnichthys thynnoides, Bleeker 1852) in Relation to its Gonadal Development in Perak River, Malaysia". Tropical Natural History. 15 (1): 91-95. 10.58837/tnh.15.1.103086.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58837/tnh.15.1.103086[8] W. N. Wan Abdullah, R. Hussin, N. M. Shukri, S. J. Mat Rosid, and N. H. Abdullah. (2020). "Removal of Cadmium, Copper and Nickel in Thynnichthys thynnoides using Chelation Technique". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 596 (1). 10.1088/1755-1315/596/1/012074.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/596/1/012074[9] S. K. Mummidivarapu, S. Rehana, and Y. R. S. Rao. (2023). "Mapping and assessment of river water quality under varying hydro-climatic and pollution scenarios by integrating QUAL2K, GEFC, and GIS". Environmental Research. 239 (Pt 1): 117250. 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117250.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.117250[10] P. B. Kalburgi, R. N. Shareefa, and U. B. Deshannavar. (2015). "Development and Evaluation of BOD–DO Model for River Ghataprabha near Mudhol (India), using QUAL2K". International Journal of Engineering and Manufacturing. 5 (1): 15-25. 10.5815/ijem.2015.01.02.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5815/ijem.2015.01.02[11] Z. Wu, X. Lai, and K. Li. (2021). "Water quality assessment of rivers in Lake Chaohu Basin (China) using water quality index". Ecological Indicators. 121. 10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107021.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107021[12] M. Bora and D. C. Goswami. (2016). "Water quality assessment in terms of water quality index (WQI): case study of the Kolong River, Assam, India". Applied Water Science. 7 (6): 3125-3135. 10.1007/s13201-016-0451-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-016-0451-y[13] Z. Angello, B. Behailu, and J. Tränckner. (2021). "Selection of Optimum Pollution Load Reduction and Water Quality Improvement Approaches Using Scenario Based Water Quality Modeling in Little Akaki River, Ethiopia". Water. 13 (5). 10.3390/w13050584.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w13050584[14] F. Dottori, F. Grazzini, M. di Lorenzo, A. Spisni, and F. Tomei. (2014). "Analysis of flash flood scenarios in an urbanized catchment using a two-dimensional hydraulic model". Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences. 364 : 198-203. 10.5194/piahs-364-198-2014.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/piahs-364-198-2014[15] N. Ahmad Kamal, N. S. Muhammad, and J. Abdullah. (2020). "Scenario-based pollution discharge simulations and mapping using integrated QUAL2K-GIS". Environmental Pollution. 259 : 113909. 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.113909.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.113909[16] M. S. Adnan, H. Roslen, and S. Samsuri. (2022). "The Application of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Approach in Water Quality Assessment for The Batu Pahat River". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 1022 (1). 10.1088/1755-1315/1022/1/012074.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1022/1/012074[17] F. A. M. Ariff, M. A. Wahid, B. H. A. Ghafar, and G. C. Ghosh. (2023). "Risk quotient analysis and total maximum daily load estimation for Kedah River, Malaysia". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 1143 (1). 10.1088/1755-1315/1143/1/012013.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1143/1/012013[18] N. K. Sapari, H. Zabidi, and K. S. Ariffin. (2016). "Geochemical Prospecting of tin Mineralization Zone at Belukar Semang Prospect, Gerik, Perak". Procedia Chemistry. 19 : 729-736. 10.1016/j.proche.2016.03.077.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proche.2016.03.077[19] R. Zhang, X. Qian, X. Yuan, R. Ye, B. Xia, and Y. Wang. (2012). "Simulation of water environmental capacity and pollution load reduction using QUAL2K for water environmental management". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 9 (12): 4504-21. 10.3390/ijerph9124504.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph9124504[20] N. Parveen, T. Abbasi, and A. Arya. (2018). "A Modelling Framework For Simulating River And Stream Water Quality". International Journal of Advance Research in Science and Engineering. 7 (1): 382-388.
[21] A. M. Salim, M. S. Ismail, and S. A. Kasim. (2020). "Cenozoic Stratigraphy, Sedimentation and Tectonic Setting, Onshore Peninsular Malaysia: A Review. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Separation Technology 2020 (ICoST 2020).
[22] B. B. S. Singhal and R. P. Gupta. (2010). "Applied Hydrogeology of Fractured Rocks". 10.1007/978-90-481-8799-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8799-7[23] Shoieb and et al. (2019). "Geological characteristic of the Kroh formation in the upper Perak shales, western Peninsula Malaysia". International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences. 6 (2): 102-106. 10.21833/ijaas.2019.02.015.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2019.02.015[24] M. Owor, A. Muwanga, C. Tindimugaya, and R. G. Taylor. (2021). "Hydrogeochemical processes in groundwater in Uganda: a national-scale analysis". Journal of African Earth Sciences. 175. 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2021.104113.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2021.104113[25] O. O. Olayinka, M. M. Egbeyemi, and A. O. Oyebanji. (2024). "Concentration of Selected Phenolic Compounds in Effluent, Stream and Groundwater of a Local Textile Industry in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria". Pollution. 10 (1): 348-357. 10.22059/POLL.2023.361876.2037.
[26] W. C. Lipps, E. B. Braun-Howland, and T. E. Baxter. (2023). "Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater". American Public Health Association.
[27] D. P. Turnipseed and V. B. Sauer. (2010). "Discharge measurements at gaging stations". 10.3133/tm3A8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3133/tm3A8[28] S. A. Che Osmi, W. F. Wan Ishak, M. A. Azman, A. S. Ismail, and N. A. Samah. (2018). "Development of water quality modelling using InfoWork river simulation in Malacca River, Malaysia and contribution towards Total Maximum Daily Load approach". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 169. 10.1088/1755-1315/169/1/012073.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/169/1/012073[29] Y. Qian, L. Guan, Y. Ke, L. Wang, X. Wang, N. Yu, Q. Yu, S. Wei, and J. Geng. (2024). "Unveiling intricate transformation pathways of emerging contaminants during wastewater treatment processes through simplified network analysis". Water Research. 253 : 121299. 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121299.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.121299