Project

 Title  
Geophysical  and  Geochemical  assessment  of  soil  and  water  resources  at  the  
Similajau  SCORE  Node.  

(14  words)  
 
Project  Summary  

The   SCORE   industrialization   programme   in   Similajau   has   sparked   many  

environmental   concerns.   To   assess   its   impact,   a   study   on   geophysical   and  
geochemical   anomaly   of   the   soil   and   water   resources   around   the   Similajau  
Industrial  SCORE  Node  is  proposed.    

The   research   aims   to   illustrate   potential   hazards   from   industrial   by-­‐products  

towards   the   adjacent   populated   areas   in   Kuala   Nyalau   and   the   protected  
Similajau  National  Park.  This  research  would  identify  and  measure  the  amount  of  
hazardous   waste,   establish   a   safe   baseline   level   for   heavy   metal   and   chemical  
contents   in   the   soil   and   main   water   resources,   besides   modeling   and   mapping  
potential  hazard  pathways  for  the  region  to  enable  the  forecasting  of  scheduled  
waste  migration  from  disposal  sites.  

This  5-­‐year  research  involves  two  main  phases;    

The   initial   phase   involves   research   framework   validation,   resources   gathering  

and   workforce   management.   Background   research   on   drainage   systems,   soil  
distribution,  and  the  geology  of  the  area  will  be  made  from  available  publications  
and  maps.  A  preliminary  survey  will  be  carried  out  to  identify  suitable  sampling  
sites   before   establishing   research   stations   along   the   chosen   study   area.   GIS  
mapping  for  these  areas  will  be  made  to  highlight  potential  hazard  zones.    

In   the   second   stage,   periodical   soil   and   water   sampling   will   be   made   from  
sampling   stations   situated   within   20km   radius   from   the   SCORE   node.     These  
samples   will   undergo   geochemical   analysis   using   atomic   spectroscopy,   ion  
chromatography   and   XRD/   XRF   techniques   (Anderson   et   al.   2010,   112–118).  
Thin   section   analysis   will   also   be   made   for   the   alluvial   soils   and   for   suspended  
and   bedload   sediments   from   the   rivers   (Suddhiprakarn   et   al.   2005,   81-­‐96).  
Standard  chemical  and  eH-­‐pH  tests  would  be  performed  on  boreholes  and  main  
rivers   water   samples.   Simultaneously,   monthly   field   excursions   will   be   carried  
out   in   the   research   vicinity   to   acquire   magnetic   and   electrical   resistivity   data  
besides  making  relevant  field  observations.  

A  hazard  pathways  model  will  be  made  by  utilizing  results  from  the  analysis  at  
the   end   of   this   research.   Hopefully,   this   study   will   lead   to   sustainable  
development   of   the   SCORE   industrial   node   to   minimize   impact   on   the   human  
population   and   Similajau’s   ecosystems.   It   is   also   vital   to   implement   mitigation  
programmes  for  the  region  by  capitalizing  on  the  forecast  information  available.    

(347  words)  

References:    
Anderson,  M.,  R.T  Otteson  and  M.  Langedal.  2010.  Geochemistry  of  Urban  
soils  –  Monitoring  in  Trondheim,  Norway.  Geoderma  156  (2010)  112–118.  

Suddhiprakarn,   A.,   S.   Thanachit,   I.   Kheoruenromne   and   R.J.   Gilkes.   2006.  

Geochemistry   of   soils   on   a   catena   on   basalt   at   Khon   Buri,   northeast   Thailand.  
Geoderma  135  (2006)  81–96.  

Comment  by  lecturer:  

An  interesting  topic  and  well  presented  proposal.  

It   might   have   been   better   just   to   mention   the   nature   of   the   industrial  
development  in  SCORE  (i.e  which  industries).  

Any  concern  over  degradation  of  air  quality?