DOI: https://doi.org/10.55373/mjchem.v25i2.110

Keywords: River water; cations; anions; hydrochemical; sewage pollution

Abstract

Sewage pollution in the river water ecosystem has created many environmental problems worldwide. Hydrochemistry studies on river water have been used as a promising tool to comprehend the sewage pollution status in freshwater. This study examines the concentration of anions (nitrate, sulfate, phosphate, fluoride, and chloride) and cations (sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) in the river water samples during the dry and rainy seasons. The determination of anions and cations was carried out using established American Public Health Association (APHA) methods. From the results, alkalinity was the highest parameter during both seasons, with the mean value of 35.73 ± 13.63 and 17.28 ± 6.26 mg L-1 during the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The correlation between nitrate and chloride revealed diverse anthropogenic sources including sewage during the dry season than the rainy season. On the other hand, the correlation between sodium and chloride indicates significant natural input during the dry season and significant sewage input during the rainy season in the Linggi River. Further chemical and biological analysis must be examined to complement the hydrochemical para-meters towards better assessment of sewage pollution in the river water.