Volume 7 Issue 29 (September 2022) PP.

139-151
DOI 10/35631/JTHEM.729011

JOURNAL OF TOURISM,
HOSPITALITY AND
ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT
(JTHEM)
www.jthem.com

RIVER POLLUTION:
A MINI REVIEW OF CAUSES AND EFFECTS
Azlina Mat Saad1, Fadli Fizari Abu Hassan Asari2*, Salwani Affandi3, Azlina Zid4
1
Independent Scholar, Environmental Engineering, Malaysia.
Email: [email protected]
2
Faculty of Business Management, UiTM Perlis Branch, Malaysia
Email: [email protected]
3
Faculty of Business Management, UiTM Terengganu Branch
Email: [email protected]
4
Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, UiTM Shah Alam, Malaysia
Email: [email protected]
*
Corresponding Author

Article Info: Abstract:

Article history: Pollution of rivers is a serious topic that is frequently brought up by people
Received date: 30.07.2022 from all walks of life all around the world including Malaysia. Domestic
Revised date: 08.08.2022 wastes, industrial pollutants, as well as agricultural wastes, including harmful
Accepted date: 30.08.2022 and dangerous materials, have been discharged into the rivers directly or
Published date: 09.09.2022 indirectly. The inflow of these hazardous pollutants not only pollutes river
water but also sediment and aquatic life. Rivers, as we all know, are one of the
To cite this document:
contributors to the clean water supply in most parts of the world. River
pollution has an impact on the availability of clean water used for a range of
Saad, A. M., Asari, F. F. A. H,
purposes, including domestic, industrial, and agricultural. Pollution, on the
Affandi, S., & Zid, A. (2022). River
other hand, depletes the supply of food derived from rivers, such as fish and
pollution: A Mini Review Of Causes
shrimp. The health of users, including humans, animals, and plants, will be
And Effects. Journal of Tourism
affected by the consumption and usage of water, as well as the aquatic life of
Hospitality and Environment
contaminated rivers. This article exposes the harsh reality of river pollution that
Management, 7 (29), 139-151.
we must all accept. To protect our rivers, it is critical to determine and know
exactly the pollution sources, causes, and effects of the contaminants on rivers’
DOI: 10.35631/JTHEM.729011.
ecosystems, humans, and animals. When it comes to reducing current river
This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0 pollution, prevention measures such as public awareness and continuous
monitoring are preferable to treatment. In addition, significant research in the
area of wastewater monitoring, as well as strict regulations, are required to
manage global river pollution. This is important to prevent the continuous
pollution of our rivers, which is primarily the result of negligent human actions.
For rivers that have been identified as polluted, water treatment technologies
including ozonation, chlorination, and aerobic granulation can be applied to
remediate the pollutant residues. This is to ensure that the global community
receives a clean and safe water supply.

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Keywords:

River, Pollution, Garbage, Sewage, Toxic Waste

Rivers: The Treasures

Rivers are one of our most significant sources of freshwater worldwide (Yu et al., 2022; Luo
et al., 2021). In most countries, river water is used for drinking and other household daily
activities such as washing, cleaning, and cooking. Rivers also play an essential part in the
country's agricultural economy (Zhang et al., 2022). Rivers provide water for irrigating paddy
fields, sugarcane plants, and cotton crops to ensure handsome profits from the yields (Prajapati,
2022). In addition, river water is, in reality, the lifeblood of the livestock sector for multiple
uses throughout the dairy operations, including feedlots and farm hygiene. Aside from that, the
oil palm processing industries, rubber manufacturing sectors, pulp and paper industries, and
textile production, for example, require access to ample freshwater sources (Tripathy et al.,
2022; Weerasooriya et al., 2021). As we know, rivers serve as a vital connector for rural
populations, in particular waterways to the nearby town for their core transportation.
Furthermore, the clean and appealing river serves as a habitat for aquatic lifelike fish, shrimp,
and crabs, which provide a source of cash for the local community, as well as locations for
public recreation and sporting activities such as kayaking and canoeing (Liu et al., 2022;
Ferreira et al., 2021).

However, anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as the
use of the urban area for housing or industry, have had a particularly severe impact on the river
environment in depth and continuously (Yang et al., 2022). The situation in most rivers, where
water quality is deteriorating due to pollution from multiple sources, is extremely concerning
and requires immediate attention (Qazi et al., 2022). River management is a complicated issue
since the river should not only be used as a tool or resource to meet the community's numerous
requirements, but its long-term viability should also be ensured, and the entire community
should be involved (Will et al., 2021; Angriani et al., 2018). As a result, the purpose of this
article is to illuminate the many causes and impacts of river pollution. Finally, the compilation
of pollution sources, causes, and effects discussed in this article might serve as a resource for
all parties. This is a tiny effort by the authors to raise awareness among ourselves and society
about the significance of preventing constant pollution of these natural riches and ensuring the
survival of our rivers, which are our treasures.

What is River Pollution?

River pollution can be defined as the presence or intrusion of pollutants such as garbage, toxic
waste, pesticides, and other hazardous residues. The origins of these pollutants are either from
point sources or non-point sources via terrestrial or air drift into the river system where the
existence of these compounds can alter and degrade river water and bed sediment properties,
including physicochemical characteristics (e.g. changes in temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen),
biological (e.g. presence of harmful microorganisms), chemical (e.g. accumulation of heavy
metals, persistent organic pollutants), and even flora and fauna inhabiting river ecosystems are
adversely affected by this situation (Namara et al., 2022; Du et al., 2022; Bhat et al., 2022).
Because of the river's pollution, river water, sediment, and aquatic life will no longer be safe

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to drink, eat, or use for daily activities, putting the health of its users, including humans,
animals, and plants, at risk (Xu et al., 2022; Sarkar et al., 2022; Ali et al., 2022).

Causes and Effects of River Pollution

Various activities that occur either anthropogenically or naturally have become sources of river
pollution. These sources of pollution have been divided into two categories: point sources (also
known as fixed sources) and non-point sources (also known as non-fixed sources) (Sahoo et
al., 2021; Sabater et al., 2022; Zakariah et al., 2022). The point sources of river pollution are
the discharge of wastewater from industrial zones or sewage treatment plants. Discharge
pipelines piped from industrial premises or sewerage treatment plants are easy to identify as
sources of river pollution because they are permanently installed to channel wastewater effluent
from locations that are typically located near riverbanks (Bai et al., 2021; Schliemann et al.,
2021).

Due to the permanent position of the waste channel, the relevant parties will be more vigilant
with their waste disposal in the river; the source from this sort of point source is easily
monitored by the authorities. Despite this, certain operating sectors continue to pollute
indiscriminately, regardless of the impact on river sustainability. A study by Mokarram et al.
(2020) reported that one of the main contamination sources in the river water of the Kor River,
Iran has originated from the nearby petrochemical industry. The effluent from industries that
contain dangerous heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) not only impairs the
quality of local drinking water but also exceeds predetermined levels of such pollutants.

In another scenario, Goi (2020) found that manufacturing businesses, agro-based industries,
sewage plants, pig pens, and wet markets are the top polluters of Malaysian river waterways.
Non-point sources, on the other hand, are a type of river pollution that is difficult to identify
due to the lack of permanent sources or channels and the spread-out features such as runoff
from land use, for instance, deforestation, agriculture, animal husbandry, residential, business,
trade, industry, oil spillage from road vehicles, and a variety of other activities, as well as the
entry of pollutants that are easily navigated, carried by the wind, and eventually, end up and
contaminate the river system (Šrajbek et al., 2022; Zhao et al., 2022; Intisar et al., 2022; Hou
et al., 2022). Figure 1 displays sources of river pollution.

Factories / Sewage
Antrhropogenic Point Source
plant
Sources of
River Pollution
Industries /
Natural Non-point Source
Agriculture

Figure 1: Sources of River Pollution

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Most of the emerging pollutants come from non-point sources, including persistent organic
pollutants (POPs) that currently pollute river ecosystems (Cui et al., 2022; Qu et al., 2021). The
difficulty of determining the origin of pollutants from non-point sources causes them to be
frequently discussed for monitoring and finding solutions to these pollutants. Further details
on pollution through non-point sources as well as garbage and trash dumping, and disposal of
various substances including sewage waste, toxic and chemical wastes, e.g., pesticides, and
hydrocarbons will be discussed in the following sub-chapters. Figure 2 shows the types of river
pollution worldwide.

Toxic
wastes
disposal

Sewage Types of river Acid

disposal pollution Rain

Garbage &
Trash
dumping

Figure 2: Sources of River Pollution Worldwide

Garbage Dumping
Some negligent people, who are unaware of the river's importance, let rivers become dumpsites
for them. Plastic bottles or glasses, plastic bags, wooden furniture, polystyrene containers, food
waste, electronic devices, and other garbage is thrown into the river are among the pollutants
discovered in the rivers. Garbage that frequently floats and sinks in the river not only irritates
the eyes but gives off a terrible odour. The river's quality, on the other hand, is degrading with
the existence of the debris. Garbage dumping in the river is a common source of river pollution
occurring globally including in China (Yao, 2021), Indonesia (Rumahorbo et al., 2021),
Malaysia (Kamarudin et la., 2021), Thailand (Panyavaraporn et al., 2021), India (Khan et al.,
2021a), Europe, and North America (van Calcar & van Emmerik, 2019).

Garbage dumped into the river will accumulate, cause a foul smell, and attract various pests to
the riverside areas. Flies, cockroaches, and rats are likely to visit this filthy and polluted river,
serving as a vector for diseases including diarrhoea, typhoid, and Leptospirosis, among others
(Aboyitungiye & Gravitiani, 2021). Typhoid for example is a water-borne disease that is very
contagious. The disease is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria found in the stool or urine of

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patients which can also cause food poisoning. Poor sanitation management causes these
bacteria to be in the river system and contaminate it. Kabir et al. (2022) reported typhoid cases
were particularly common in settlements along peripheral rivers in Bangladesh due to river
pollution. A similar situation was reported in Nigeria and India with the occurrence of various
diseases including typhoid, schistosomiasis, cholera, diarrhoea, hepatitis, gastritis, and cancer,
as the consequences of river pollution with innumerable contaminants and sources (Prajapati,
2022). (Adediran & Abdulsalam, 2021). Thailand has been identified as having an endemic
case of leptospirosis.

In ten years, about 40,000 instances of human leptospirosis were discovered in several areas
(Almanfaluthi et al., 2022; Phosri, 2022). Furthermore, the flotsam discarded into rivers may
stagnate the water, allowing mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti, which carry dengue fever, zika,
chikungunya, and other viruses, to reproduce rapidly. Furthermore, putting the trash into the
river system will not only pollute the river ecosystem but, at the same time increase the risk of
flooding. During heavy rains, garbage will hinder the flow of water, causing river water to
overflow (Aboyitungiye & Gravitiani, 2021). The maintenance and cleaning of the river from
garbage pollution will be costly and time-consuming (Daniel, 2018). This is very detrimental
to all parties, as the money should be used to upgrade other sectors, including education, public
health, and national security.

Disposal of Sewage Waste

Furthermore, in some settlements, a small number of communities direct waste from their
homes straight into the river without being properly treated. This is common in locations where
there is a high population density and there is no well-managed sewage treatment system. The
direct flow of sewage containing numerous dangerous bacteria into the river produces a
significant drop in water quality, rendering the river water unfit for daily usage as well as
domestic, industrial, and agricultural utilization. Sewage is known as the most common source
of water microbiological pollution (Some et al., 2021). In detail, human and animal
decontamination wastes contain harmful bacteria like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, nematode
worms, and other microbes (Berendes et al., 2020). Given the fact that bacterial gastrointestinal
diseases such as cholera, shigellosis, bloody diarrhoea, diarrhoea, and typhoid can spread to
humans through water polluted with an infected person's faeces, the scenario of river water
pollution due to direct sewage discharge into the river system cannot be taken lightly (Helard
et al., 2019).

On account of overflowing home sewage or non-point sources of human and animal waste,
faecal coliform bacteria may be found in the river water. Faecal coliform bacteria suggest
sewage contamination of a stream along with the possible existence of additional harmful
pathogen species (Ansari & Kumar, 2022). The sudden presence of these harmful
microorganisms in the river will harm people's and animals’ health and even endanger their
lives. This sewage disposal is organic waste contamination that should not be taken lightly and
needs to be addressed right away. Deguenon et al. (2019) and Salgado et al. (2018) in their
study found that direct disposal of sewerage into the river located in Brazil decreased the
quality of river water in terms of the amount of dissolved oxygen and other physicochemical
parameters. On the other hand, sewage discarding escalates the eutrophication phenomenon in
the river by adding excessive nutrients together with phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) from
human and animal faeces (Kaiser & Lerch, 2022; Tiwari & Pal, 2022). Excess nutrients have

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accelerated the growth of aquatic plants with imbalanced compositions, such as algae,
including noxious algae, disrupting river ecosystems Glibert et al., 2018).

Toxic Waste Disposal

The influx of toxic waste into the river has exacerbated the river's pre-existing pollution from
garbage and sewage. Water, sediment, and aquatic life have all been found to contain hazardous
wastes in the river systems. Nonetheless, the manufacturing industrial, agricultural, and
shipping industries are among the few that can be linked to the presence of these harmful toxic
substances in river ecosystems. Heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and pesticides are some of
thetoxic waste chemical substances found in river ecosystems (Refai et al., 2022; Khan et al.,
2021b; Parween et al., 2021). The details of these toxic waste pollutants are discussed in the
next sub-chapter.

Heavy Metals
Heavy metals are one of the primary pollutants in the river environments, anthropogenic and
natural activities are two important sources of the presence of heavy metals in the river
ecosystems (Zhao et al., 2018). Heavy metals such as mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd),
and others have an adverse negative impact on the river ecosystem including aquatic resources.
Heavy metals on the other hand are found to harm the nervous system, lung, brain, and kidneys
if they enter the human and animal bodies (Guzzi et al., 2021). A study was carried out by
Islam et al. (2022) to determine the types of heavy metals in the Tunggak River and Gebeng
River on Peninsular Malaysia's East Coast. About ten different types of heavy metals were
discovered in water samples collected from those sampling locations. However, only six heavy
metals (viz. Co, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Mn) were detected with a concentration higher than
Malaysian standards (Islam et al., 2022). Among the sources of heavy metals, pollution
identified is industrial and domestic wastewater discharges that are not properly treated. In
addition, runoff from deforestation activities also contributes to the presence of heavy metals
in the rivers.

Hydrocarbons
Consequently, there are numerous cases of toxic waste disposal occurring all over the world.
This is due to the perpetrators' careless attitude, which underestimates the river's importance to
them. Hydrocarbons are one of the most frequently detected pollutants in river ecosystems. The
decreased immune system, damage to vital organs such as the liver and kidneys, cancer-
causing, and genetic damage are among the adverse effects that occur to humans and animals
exposed to hydrocarbon contamination. Most worryingly, the persistent nature and ability to
biomagnify along the food chain make this toxic substance one of the dreaded contaminants.
A case of illegal dumping of hazardous toxic waste involving mostly hydrocarbons compounds
has shocked Malaysia in early March 2019 where hazardous chemicals including methane, d-
limonene, xylene, acrylonitrile, benzene, acrolein, ethylbenzene, toluene, and hydrogen
chloride were identified in water samples from Kim Kim River, Pasir Gudang, Johor. The
tragedy is that around 1,000 pupils who were close to the waste dump were affected by these
harmful wastes. Shortness of breath, vomiting, coughing and severe throat irritation are some
of the symptoms they suffer (Ibrahim et al., 2021).

Pesticides
The use of pesticides and herbicides in agricultural areas, domestic use, and landscape
development also worsen the condition of the river with the flow of pesticides into the river. In
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addition, surface runoff from agricultural areas, especially during heavy rains directly into the
river, also carries pesticide residues that will eventually pollute the river. Aquatic life, which
is a source of food for humans, will be polluted. Toxins entering the river system in high
concentrations will kill aquatic resources such as fish, crabs, shrimp, and more. Such events
will disrupt the food chain and thus our ecosystem. Furthermore, the use of prohibited
pesticides, such as those in the organochlorine group, raises serious concerns. These pesticides
will build up in the fats of aquatic life like fish, shrimp, snails, and crabs. Because of the
biomagnification property of these harmful substances, if humans consume contaminated
aquatic life, the pesticide concentration in human body fat will be increased. A study by Perkins
et al. (2021) reported that pesticide compounds like imidacloprid, fipronil, and fipronil
metabolites, which are commonly used to eradicate parasites in pets, were discovered in river
water samples taken from several English rivers.

Acid Rain
Acid rain is also categorised as one of the non-point sources of river pollution. This is because
the content of pollutants that cause acid rain cannot be detected due to the long-distance
movement features of pollutants from the source of their application. However, power plants
and factories that release their waste into the air are the main sources of pollutants that produce
acid rain. The release of gases such as nitrogen oxides (NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) from
factories and vehicles will combine with rainwater to form acid rain. At the same time, acid
rain is also caused by the combustion of vehicle fuel. The exhaust from automobiles, trucks,
and buses emits NO2 and SO2 into the atmosphere.

Consequently, these pollutants are spread by the wind and react with rainwater droplets to form
sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and nitric acid (HNO₃). Acid rain is a worldwide environmental problem
apprehension. Acid rain will cause rivers to become more acidic and cause the destruction of
aquatic life. The acidity of river water will have an impact on aquatic food sources such as
algae and other aquatic plants. The food chain in the river ecology will be disrupted as a result
of this situation (Mohajan, 2018). Acidic river water is not only unsuitable for aquatic habitats
but also unsuitable for use by humans and animals for any activity (Han et al., 2019).

Conclusion
Overall, various human activities contribute to river pollution. However, for point source river
pollution, the direct release of untreated wastewater from industries and sewage plants is one
of the main causes of river pollution. This is due to a lack of responsibility to prevent river
pollution. Irresponsible parties take simple, quick, and cost-effective steps toward wastewater
management by simply dumping them directly into rivers without regard to the adverse effects
on natural resources (Wang et al., 2018). In addition, the inefficiency of wastewater treatment
applied by the industries involved resulted in still hazardous waste being discharged into the
river even after the wastewater was treated.

This is where we can see the importance of the industry taking a smart step by making a small
investment through monitoring and enhancing research and development (R&D) on their
wastewater treatment before it is discharged into the river. The industry involved needs to
choose the best wastewater treatment to treat their wastewater. This is to ensure that their
treated wastewater does not adversely affect the river ecosystem (Agarwal & Singh, 2022). On
the other side, the non-point source is considered one of the main causes of pollution in river
ecosystems. This is because of its difficult nature to detect and control.
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Pollutants enter the river environment from a variety of mediums including land, water, and air
(Schweitzer & Noblet, 2018). On land, surface runoffs that occur during heavy rainfall are a
major contributing factor to the entry of pollutants such as agricultural, livestock, and industrial
wastes into rivers. In addition, the leaching process also drives toxic materials applied or
dumped in the surrounding area to the river. Wind repulsion is also a cause that brings in toxic
pollutants that are easily evaporated, such as pesticides into the river (Häder et al., 2020). Oil
spills from leaking vehicle engines or vehicle maintenance workshops that occur on land will
eventually end up in river areas through rain flushes. To preserve and conserve rivers in our
country, we can take a variety of steps.

Improvements in chemical and garbage dumping management, which can leverage the
country's most recent modern technology research results, are one of the actions that can be
taken to prevent river pollution. The recycling of glass, paper, and plastic bottles is believed to
help minimise pollution in our rivers (Hole & Hole, 2019). Furthermore, from as early as
childhood, the attitude of enjoying the river should be cultivated. Using various platforms such
as television, radio, the internet, and social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and
YouTube channel several campaigns to love the river have been held. Various sorts of notice
boards and advertisements were also displayed to instill in our culture the attitude of loving the
river so that it might continue to thrive. For us to work together to preserve our rivers clean,
we need awareness from all walks of life. It is intended that, as a civilization with a more
developed mindset, the cleanliness of our waterways will reflect our attitude. A clean and
attractive river can be a wonderful location to relax and unwind, and the surrounding
community will undoubtedly benefit.

In general, this article has successfully gathered, identified, and described various causes and
effects that lead to river pollution problems. On the other hand, it is hoped that this writing will
contribute to various parties in educating the community about how important rivers and their
resources are to all. In conclusion, to cope with all types of pollution and to guarantee the
management of a basin's water resources as a component of the natural ecosystem and in
connection to their socio-economic situation, good river management practices are essential
involving all parties globally.

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