Environmental Impacts of Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate on Neighboring Residential Area in Lahore, Pakistan

Saadia Hina, Maida Zahid, Iftikhar H. Baloch, Tariq Sultan Pasha

.

DOI: 10.4236/jwarp.2011.33023                

Abstract

Industries have contributed for human development by improving human life styles, increasing human life expectancy rate, providing more and more jobs. Still industrialization has many negative impacts on the environment and especially on human health. This investigation was carried out to probe the impacts of Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate on Township area, Lahore. During this investigation wastewater monitoring and ambient air monitoring had been done. Samples from main industrial drain were collected for wastewater analysis and seventeen parameters including pH, temperature, color, odor, turbidity, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chlorides, oil/grease, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), ammonia-nitrogen (NH3 - N2), iron, sulfate, nickel and chromium were investigated. Among them pH, total suspended solids, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen were found exceeding the NEQS limits. The ambient air samples were also collected and five parameters of ambient air including particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and noise were monitored. Among them only particulate matter was exceeding the WHO guidelines. Although there were few parameters like pH, TSS, BOD, COD and NH3 - N2 of water and PM10 of air, which do not lie within the national environmental quality standards (NEQS) limits but proper monitoring is needed to be done so that parameters may not cross their permissible limits in future. This problem must be taken into consideration by both the management of Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate and Governmental agencies because it is the responsibility of state also to make the environment clean.

Keywords

Industrial Estate, Water Pollution, Air Pollution, National Environmental Quality Standards

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	R. K. Trivedy and N. S. Raman, “Industrial Pollution and Environmental Management,” Scientific Publishers, India, 2002, pp.178-189.
[2]	UNIDO, Industry and Development, Global Report, United Nations Publications, Birmingham , 1990/1991.
[3]	M. Indra and S. Choudhary, “Industrial Pollution and Its Control,” Aavishkar Publishers, India, 2004, pp. 1-26.
[4]	M. N. Rao and H. V. N. Rao, “Air Pollution,” McGraw Hill, USA, 2000, pp. 44-79 & 255 - 267.
[5]	IUCN, “Rapid Assessment of Industrial Pollution in the Korangi Phitti Creak,” 1992.
[6]	A. Behbahaninia, S. A. Mirbagheri, N. Khorasani, J. Nouri and A. H. Javid, “Heavy Metal Contamination of Municipal Effluent in Soil and Plants,” Journal of Food, Agriculture Environment, Vol. 7, No. 3-4, 2009, pp. 851-856.
[7]	“Infrastructure Development of QIE Lhr,” Final Design Report, Vol. 1, 2004, pp. 1-4-2-3.
[8]	“Standard Methods for the Examination of Water & Wastewater,” 20th Edtion, American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, USA, 1998, pp. 2-56-5-39.
[9]	S. N. Kaul and A. Gautam, “Water & Wastewater Analysis,” Daya Publishing House, Delhi, 2002. pp. 32 -75.
[10]	“Water Analysis Handbook,” 4th Edition, Hach Company, USA, 2002, pp. 63-73, 91-95, 487-503, 555-571 and 964-977.
[11]	Alley, E. Roberts and Associates, “Air Quality Control Handbook,” McGraw Hill, USA, 1998, pp. 2.3-2.28 & 4.1- 4.33.
[12]	T. I. Khan, “Atmospheric and Air Pollution Control Technologies,” Aavishkar Publishers, India, 2004, pp. 230 -233.