Assessment of the Physicochemical Characteristic of Wastewater in Kushtia and Jhenaidah Municipal Areas Bangladesh: A Study of DO, BOD, COD, TDS and MPI

Abstract

Comparing the physicochemical properties, heavy metals concentration and metal pollution index (MPI) of collected ten (10) wastewater samples in Kushtia and Jhenaidah municipalities, Bangladesh is the prime object of this manuscript. The levels of dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the Kushtia municipal area ranged from 0.21 to 1.24 mg/L; 63.67 to 134.66 mg/L; 97.33 to 592.34 mg/L and 431.34 to 849.33 mg/L respectively. In the Jhenaidah municipal area, the levels ranged from 0.34 to 1.72 mg/L; 45.67 to 125.34 mg/L; 55.33 to 491.67 mg/L and 412.34 to 895.66 mg/L respectively. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) where an air-acetylene flame with a digital readout system in Varian Spectra AA220 was introduced. Air-acetylene flames that reach about 2300.0 °C were introduced to determine the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn). The results showed that the As, Cd and Zn levels in the surface sewerage wastewater were within the permissible limit except for Mn and Pb in the Kushtia municipal area. Similar results were discovered in the Jhenaidah municipal area. Due to the elevated levels of Mn and Pb, beyond the acceptable threshold in both communities, there is a substantial health hazard for inhabitants and aquatic creatures. In addition, metal pollution index (MPI) values were measured at the maximum of 0.034 at Mill Para in Kushtia whereas 0.018 for Borohat Park Para in Jhenaidah. The MPI values revealed that these two regions are riskier compared to others. The findings are significant and can potentially influence future policies and actions regarding wastewater management in the municipal area. The indication of moderate wastewater quality suggests that there may be room for improvement in the treatment and disposal processes before release to the environment. This investigation aims to contribute to sustainable urban development and environmental protection initiatives.