Part #19 [ RIVER WATER POLLUTION IN URBAN ]

As the times of the environment are increasingly a major concern to be observed. The environment has undergone various significant changes, one of which is environmental pollution. Environmental pollution has become one of the problems facing several cities in the world..

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River pollution is a global problem requiring the evaluation and revision of natural resource processing policies. Water is a basic need that must be fulfilled in all human activities. Water pollution itself can also be interpreted as a change in the state of water or water components in a water reservoir such as lakes, rivers and groundwater due to human activities. Lakes, rivers and groundwater are an important part of the human life cycle. It is conceivable if water used for daily needs has been contaminated by harmful substances that can cause disease. Therefore, the Government and the Society should pay more attention to the state of river water in urban areas so that people living and dependent on river water can live healthy without experiencing problems.

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River is the greatest impact on urban environmental pollution

The river is one of the natural resources that is flowing, so the upstream water treatment will have an impact on the downstream. Upstream pollution will cause the social costs in the downstream (extematily effect) and upstream conservation will be beneficial in the downstream. River is very beneficial to humans and also beneficial for water biota.Air is a natural resource that meets the livelihood of the people so it needs to be protected in order to be useful for life and human life as well as other living creatures.Perlu efforts to conserve and control water, to maintain water quality or achieve water quality so that it can be used sustainably in accordance with the desired water quality level. Water quality management is done by efforts to control water pollution, that is by efforts to maintain water function so that water quality meets the quality standard. The relatively clean water is highly coveted by human beings, both for daily living, industrial needs, for sanitation, and for agricultural purposes and so on.

Nowadays water is a problem that needs to get serious attention. Because water has been contaminated by the waste - waste from various results of human activities, so to obtain good water in accordance with certain standards required a fairly expensive cost. In terms of quality, water resources have decreased. Similarly, in quantity that has not been able to meet the needs of people who continue to increase.Makin news of river pollution from day to day. River pollution is happening everywhere. Water crisis is also happening in almost all the poor regions of the world.

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Basically Water Pollutants, grouped into:

The waste in the process of decomposition requires oxygen : garbage containing organic compounds, such as food industry waste, sugar cane industry waste, household waste (food scraps), human waste and animal waste, dead vegetation and animals. For the process of decomposing the waste requires a lot of oxygen, so if the trash is contained in water, then the water (water source) will be deprived of oxygen, fish and organisms in the water will die lack of oxygen. In addition, the process of decomposing waste containing protein (animal / vegetable) will produce H2S gas that smells rotten, so the water is not feasible to drink or to bathe.

Pollutants cause disease: pollutants containing viruses and bacteria eg bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal diseases (dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, types) or skin diseases. This pollutant comes from household waste, hospital waste or from animal / human waste.

Inorganic / mineral compound contaminants: heavy metals such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (pb), copper (Cu), inorganic salts. Contaminants such as heavy metals that enter the body usually through food and can be buried in the organs of the body such as kidneys, liver, spleen digestive tract other so disrupt the function of the organs.

Organic pollutants that can not be broken down by microorganisms: organic compounds derived from pesticides, herbicides, polymers such as plastics, detergents, synthetic fibers, industrial waste and waste oil. This pollutant material can not be destroyed by microorganisms, so it will mount everywhere and can disrupt the lives and welfare of living things.

Pollutants in the form of plant foods: nitrate compounds, phosphate compounds can cause the growth of algae (algae) by leaps and bounds so that it covers the surface of the water. In addition it will disrupt the water ecosystem, deadly fish and organisms in the water, because the oxygen and sunlight levels are reduced. This is due to the oxygen and sunlight that the organism needs in the water (aquatic life) is blocked and can not enter the water.

Pollutants in the form of radioactive substances, can cause cancer, damage cells and other body tissues. This pollutant comes from nuclear waste and from other nuclear experiments.

Contaminants of sediment / sediment: soil and sludge due to erosion on riverbanks or solid particles / lava ejected by erupting volcanoes, causing water to become turbid, reduced sunlight entry, and water less able to assimilate waste.

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Causes of River Pollution

Pollution of river water can be caused by two factors, namely river pollution caused by nature and river pollution caused by human activities. River pollution caused by nature, among others, due to acid desposition, forest fires, volcanic eruptions, and erosion of erosion. While river pollution caused by human activities is divided into several sources of pollution, including industrial waste, residential waste, agricultural waste, hospital waste, and mining waste.

River Pollution Caused by Nature

Forest Fires, Forest fires do not significantly cause changes in water quality in rivers, but forest fires can disrupt the living ecosystems of rivers caused by smoke. The thickness of the smoke causes the sun to penetrate the depths of the ocean. Ultimately this will make some plant species living in the river slightly blocked for photosynthesis and difficulty breathing fish due to excessive CO2 content.

Erosion Deposition, the thickness of the eroded mud will undergo deposition downstream of the river. The threat that arises is the overflow of the river due to continuous erosion. When the rain water no longer has a barrier in holding its speed then it will bring all the grains of land that is above it to enter into the existing rivers. The result is the river becomes a bit turbid. This will continue to recur when there is rain on the mountain or upstream.

Desposition of Acid, Excess acid in the river will result in at least surviving species. Types of plankton and invertebrates are the first creatures to die from the effects of acidification. If the river has a pH below 5, more than 75% of the fish species will be lost (Anonymous, 2002). This is due to the influence of the food chain, which significantly affects the sustainability of an ecosystem. Not all rivers affected by acid rain will become acidification, where rock and soil types have been found that can help neutralize the acidity.

Volcanic eruptions, volcanic eruptions cause rivers or lakes to be polluted due to rocks and materials carried from the mountains to settle in the river. If the material is deposited in a large volume, then this causes the fish to die when stacked by the rocks. In addition, the material with a small volume causes cloudy streams and affect the ecosystem in the river.

River pollution caused by human activities

Waste Settlement, Settlement waste contains domestic waste in the form of organic waste and inorganic waste and detergent. Organic waste is garbage that can be decomposed or decomposed by bacteria. Examples of vegetable, fruit, and leaf residues. Inorganic waste such as paper, plastic, glass or glass, cloth, wood, metal, rubber, and These garbage can not be broken down by bacteria (non biodegrable). Organic waste discharged into the river causes a decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen, since most bacteria are used for the decomposition process.

Agricultural Waste, Fertilizer and pesticide commonly used by farmers to take care of the plants. However, excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides can contaminate water. Phosphate fertilizers contain phosphates that can stimulate the growth of aquatic weeds such as algae and water hyacinth. This uncontrolled weedwater growth causes such effects as pollution caused by detergent.

Industrial waste, industrial waste is very potential as a cause of pollution of river water. In general, industrial waste contains B3 waste, which is hazardous and toxic materials. According to PP 18 years 99 article 1, "B3 waste is the residue of a business or activity containing hazardous and toxic materials that can pollute or damage the environment so that endangering the health and survival of humans and other creatures." Characteristics of B3 waste is corrosive / causal rust, flammable and explosive, toxic / toxic and cause infection / disease. Hazardous industrial wastes, among others, containing metals and acidic liquids. For example, waste produced by metal coating industry, which contains copper and nickel and cyanide acid, boric acid, chromic acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid. This waste is corrosive, can kill plants and aquatic animals. In humans cause irritation to the skin and eyes , interfere with breathing and cause cancer.

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Impact of River Pollution

At present, the waste of industrial activity is said to have threatened the whole country. This is because through natural mechanisms such as wind, river water flow, the vapor in the soil through the diffusion of such waste can spread everywhere. The waste in the waters causes life problems biota in the form of poisoning and even death. Disruption to aquatic biota has resulted in the deterioration of the quality and quantity of aquatic biota (fish and shrimp) .The excess fertilizer that flowed into the swamp or into the lake can lead to fertile water hyacinth.In addition, the erosion of mud carried into the sea then precipitated resulting in the closure of the coral surface which eventually leads to coral mortality.

As a result of the contamination life in the water can be disrupted by lethal animals and plants in the water because oxygen dissolved in water will be used up for aerobic decomposition of organic substances contained in waste water. The pollution of waste into the environment needs to be considered and well anticipated, especially against river water, because river water is used by the population for various purposes. River pollution by waste water from microbiological point of view, among others: pollution of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and organic material. The amount of organic material will stimulate the growth of microorganisms rapidly.

This results in the rapid and increasing use of oxygen, resulting in a decrease in dissolved oxygen in the water and become very slight, ultimately resulting in microorganisms and other water organisms requiring dead oxygen. Water ecology will change drastically. The situation becomes anaerobic, so the river water is rotten, and unhealthy for the growth of the water flora and fauna microorganisms. Such environment is already damaged and no longer fit for the needs of our life (Ardhana, 1994).

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Conclusion

River water pollution that occurs in urban area caused by the behavior of the people themselves who throw garbage and waste carelessly. Of the two types of pollutants that are commonly found in river water in urban areas is solid waste. Trash in the river water causes siltation and unpleasant odor as a result of reacting the waste with other elements such as bacteria and fungi. Therefore, the right awareness and behavior of all parties, both the government and the community to solve the existing garbage problems in the rivers of the population so as to not cause much harm to all the people.

Supporting literature / Reference

All photos from pixabay.com
Sastrawijaya, A. Tresna. (1991). Pencemaran Lingkungan. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.
Soemarwoto, Otto. (2004). Ekologi, Lingkungan Hidup, dan Pembangunan.Jakarta: Djambatan.
Muhammad, Yunus. (2007). “Pengertian dan Sumber Pencemaran Perairan” [Online].Tersedia:http://yunuzmuhammad.blogspot.com/2007/11/pengertian-dan-sumber pencemaran.html.[3 Mei 2011].

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part1
part2
part3
part4
part5
part6
part7
part8
part9
part10
part11
part12
part13
part14
part15
part16
part17
part18

by : Hive account@rabo