Assessment of marine environmental impacts from a fertilizer plant : PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur, Bontang in Indonesia | |
| Author | Ezrinal Azis |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. EV-95-11 |
| Subject(s) | Marine pollution--Indonesia Fertilizer industry--Indonesia |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. EV-95-11 |
| Abstract | Three units of urea plant of PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur are well operated at Bontang coast, East Kalimantan-Indonesia. The coast is more like a bay then an open water. The plant eftluents which are mainly ammonia with average loading rate of 1,350 ton per year and concentration of 350 mg/Lare discharged into two small bays. The effluents are mixed in the outfall bays with a cooling sea water discharge with average flow of 25 and 5.6 m3/s respectively. The cooling sea water with temperature of 33 and 35 °C may heat up the surrounding ambient water in the bay area. There are two nearby village communities in the bay area which contribute their pollution load as domestic waste. BOD loads of the two communities with surrounding population are estimated to be 225 ton per year. Another pollution load comes from dredging and dumping activities which are performed as a consequence of industrial development. About 247,000 m3 of silt and fine sediment is estimated to have been brought into suspension in the bay since 1977 (equal to 38,000 ton per year). Last but not least among pollutant sources comes urea dust deposition from the prilling towers of the urea plant. The urea deposition rate into the bay area is estimated to be 165 ton per year. The research was started by studying the physical ambient conditions, i.e. the characteristic of tide, salinity, current and wind of the bay area. These results are very useful in analyses of other environmental conditions. The research purpose has been to study how the pollutants affect the marine environment. The pollution spreading was observed and analysed. Several marine communities, i.e. coral reef, phytoplankton and mangrove are observed along with relevant water quality parameters such as temperature, transparency, suspended sediment, pH, DO, NNH3, N-~, and P-P04. The main finding of th~ study is the fact that the coral reef community has been destroyed severely. About 85% of the community of the study area are completely damaged. The sediment spreading from dredging activity is suspected to be the main cause of the destruction, but an elevated ammonium level in the bay area may also have contributed to the destruction. |
| Year | 1995 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. EV-95-11 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Hansen, Ian Sehested |
| Examination Committee(s) | Reutergardh, Lars;Stoll, Ing. Uwe |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1996 |