Acidity in the Weliweriya soil
According to a news report, the Chairman of Geological Survey & Mines Bureau has said that 47 soil samples were taken from the soil surrounding the gloves factory in Weliweriya and from a 25 square km area surrounding it. He has said that PH levels were low in the samples indicating that the complaint of the residents regarding the high acidity in the soil is justified.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), of the production of centrifuged latex carried out by W Jawjit in Thailand (which is available in the Web) has revealed that the production of centrifuged latex rubber has a significant environmental impact from the Ammonia used in the production of centrifuged rubber and the Sulphuric Acid (or any other acid) used to neutralise the centrifuged rubber latex. It is very likely that this factory which accounts for 5 per cent of the rubber gloves produced in the world treated the effluent to meet the CEA standards.
Both Ammonia and Urea which is closely related to Ammonia are subject to nitrification in the soil. Nitrification by the microbes present in the soil produces nitrate ions and nitrous oxide which result in high soil acidity.
Life cycle studies are required to study the impact of high concentrations of Ammonia and Urea in the soil. The villagers of Weliweriya appear to be facing a problem of acidity in the soil, probably through nitrification. The villagers in the North Central Province may be suffering from acidity in soil through nitrification of the urea, dissolving the heavy metals present in phosphates (such as Apatite rock phosphate used in Sri Lanka without further treatment) to release the heavy metals into the water.
It is interesting to note that Dicyandiamide (DCD) contamination in imported milk is the result of efforts to reduce the impact of nitrification of the animal urine by microbes in the soil.
Only a total life cycle assessment will reveal the life cycle of the treated effluent released by this factory which uses hundreds of thousands of centrifuged rubber in the production of the gloves. A life cycle study in the North Central Province will help to trace the deadly kidney disease known as the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The Chemistry Departments of the Colombo University and the Peradeniya University should be entrusted the task of carrying out Life Cycle Studies in Weliweriya and in the North Central Province.The Pesticide Authority studies the Life Cycle studies submitted by the manufacturers before approving the use of any agrochemical.
These life cycle studies can be used by the Chemistry and Agriculture Departments of Sri Lankan Universities as guidelines for such life cycle studies on local issues.
Lal de Mel
Colombo
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus