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Environmental impacts of coal mine and thermal power plant to the surroundings of Barapukuria, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

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Abstract

The study was carried out to analyse the environmental impacts of coal mine and coal-based thermal power plant to the surrounding environment of Barapukuria, Dinajpur. The analyses of coal, water, soil and fly ash were carried out using standard sample testing methods. This study found that coal mining industry and coal-based thermal power plant have brought some environmental and socio-economic challenges to the adjacent areas such as soil, water and air pollution, subsidence of agricultural land and livelihood insecurity of inhabitants. The pH values, heavy metal, organic carbon and exchangeable cations of coal water treated in the farmland soil suggest that coal mining deteriorated the surrounding water and soil quality. The SO4 2− concentration in water samples was beyond the range of World Health Organisation standard. Some physico-chemical properties such as pH, conductivity, moisture content, bulk density, unburned carbon content, specific gravity, water holding capacity, liquid and plastic limit were investigated on coal fly ash of Barapukuria thermal power plant. Air quality data provided by the Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited were contradictory with the result of interview with the miners and local inhabitants. However, coal potentially contributes to the development of economy of Bangladesh but coal mining deteriorates the environment by polluting air, water and soil. In general, this study includes comprehensive baseline data for decision makers to evaluate the feasibility of coal power industry at Barapukuria and the coalmine itself.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Environment, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh

    Md. Nazir Hossain & Md. Muyeed Hasan

  2. Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh

    Shitangsu Kumar Paul

Authors
  1. Md. Nazir Hossain
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  2. Shitangsu Kumar Paul
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  3. Md. Muyeed Hasan
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Correspondence to Md. Nazir Hossain.

Additional information

Md. Nazir Hossain is a lecturer at the Department of Geography and Environment, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and is a M.S. and B.Sc. (Hons) holder.

Shitangsu Kumar Paul is a professor at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Rajshahi and is a Ph.D. holder.

Md. Muyeed Hasan is an assistant professor at the Department of Geography and Environment, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and is a M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Hons) holder.

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Hossain, M.N., Paul, S.K. & Hasan, M.M. Environmental impacts of coal mine and thermal power plant to the surroundings of Barapukuria, Dinajpur, Bangladesh. Environ Monit Assess 187, 202 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4435-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4435-4

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