Determination of water quality condition from water samples around location of ship to ship transfer of coal in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

A collection of water samples from area of Ship To Ship (STS) transfer of coal in Balikpapan was carried out in June November 2018 to provide data for a study related to issues on fish catch decline in the area that was claimed by mini trawlers. The study aimed to determine and assess water quality parameters which play an important role on the current issues. All samples were taken in six sampling sites between the shore and the STS, and the nearest sampling site was 0.18 km and the farthest was 5.5 km from the STS. Each sample consisted of 27 analysed parameters including eight heavy metals. Results of laboratory analysis showed that the concentration of water transparency, DO (dissolved oxygen), turbidity, TSS (total suspended solid), temperature, NH3, PO4-P and NO3-N in the sampling sites far from the STS were found higher than those ones near the STS. In contrary, the concentration of pH, salinity, BOD5 and Phenol were noticed to be high near the STS. Others such as odour (smell), debris, oil layer and H2S were observed nil, while CN, oil and fat and MBAS (methylene blue active substances) showed the same concentration at all sampling sites. Hence, all of the concentration was in the range of allowable limit according to KepMen LH No.51 Year 2004 except for PO4-P and NO3- N. From eight heavy metals, Hg, As, Cd, Cu, Zn and Ni were discovered to comply with the regulation while two metals Cr (IV) and Pb reached the limit. The study concluded that the water quality around the STS transfer was generally in favourable condition. However, harmful algal blooms could be occurred since the study area was detected to have high concentration of nutrients.