Bangladesh

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IAEA/RCA Project RAS/8/108 Assessment of Trends
in Freshwater Quality Using Environmental
Isotopes and Chemical Techniques for Improved
Resource Management Asif Salahuddin National
RCA Counterpart - Pakistan Director General
International Affairs and Training Pakistan
Atomic Energy Commission Islamabad, Pakistan
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OBJECTIVES

• General objective
• To extend the awareness and the utilisation of
  isotope techniques in fresh water resources
  management with specific emphasis on end-users

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Specific Objectives

• To establish regional database of water quality
  parameters for ground waters and surface waters
  comprising isotope and chemical constituents for
  use by the broad community involved in water
  resources management
• To investigate surface water-groundwater and
  inter-aquifers hydraulic interactions using
  environmental isotope and chemical techniques

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Specific Objectives (continued)

• To increase the utilisation of environmental
  isotope and chemical techniques in the
  delineation of pathways of contaminant migration
  in surface waters and groundwaters
• To access appropriate levels of government
  responsible for water resources management,
  policy, preventive measures and mitigation of
  pollutants and provide them with information and
  recommendations.

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PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES

• Australia
• Bangladesh
• China
• India
• Indonesia
• Korea
• Malaysia
• Myanmar

• Mongolia
• New Zealand
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Mongolia does not participate in regional
activities, no national study, no progress
report Myanmar does not use isotope techniques in
the national study Singapore does not use isotope
techniques in the national study and does not
participate in regional activities
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REGIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Meetings
• Project planning meeting to obtain commitment to
  regional and national activities and establish
  the national programmes of activities, Vienna,
  Austria, 2-5 April 2007 (implemented
  successfully)
• First Progress Review Meeting for NPCs, Thailand,
  24-28 March 2008 (implemented successfully)
• Executive Meeting on application of isotope
  techniques to solve hydrological problems,
  Malaysia (already planned 20-24 April 2009)
• Second Progress Review Meeting for NPCs, Q4/2009,
  China/Indonesia/Philippines
• Final Project evaluation meeting to be attended
  by National Coordinators, Q2/2011, Vienna
  (aligned with IAEA Symposium on Isotope Hydrology)

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REGIONAL ACTIVITIES (Cont.)

• Training Cources
• IAEA/RCA Reg. Training Course on Application of
  Isotope and geochemical techniques to surface
  water - groundwater interactions and contaminant
  transport (About 24 participants for two), June
  2008 Host Korea (implemented successfully)
• Regional Training Course on Advanced Techniques
  for Isotope and related applications in water
  resources management. (2 persons x 16 countries x
  2 wk) Q/3 2010, Australia/India

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EXPERT SERVICES
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• ISOTOPE ANALYTICAL SERVICES
• Provision of isotope analytical services to the
  MSs having insufficient facilities Bangladesh,
  Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam etc.
• Budget allocated US 50,000
• PROCUREMENT
• Provision of minor equipment, spares, software,
  scientific supplies etc.
• Budget allocated US 25,000

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OUTPUTS

• Isotope and chemical database (National and
  Regional) of surface water, groundwater and
  precipitation
• Strategy for national and regional trends in
  fresh water quality
• Recommendations and guidelines on the application
  of isotope techniques for the authorities
  responsible for water resources management

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OUTCOMES

• Increased awareness of end users on the
  application of isotope techniques to assist in
  better management of water resources
• Enhanced working partnerships between National
  Nuclear Institutes and end users nationally and
  regionally and increased utilisation of the
  technical capabilities in the region for isotope
  hydrological investigations.

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EXPECTED IMPACT

• The database will help plan future national
  hydrological studies and regional projects
• MSs will better understand pollution sources in
  their local regions.
• Managers in each country will be able to use the
  outputs of the Project to design efficient water
  quality strategies to control pollution.
• Data from this project will provide scientific
  basis for more efficient implementation of
  national regulations regarding water quality.
• Integration of isotope and geochemical
  information in water resource management
  practices is expected to result in significant
  cost saving.
• Trained human resources in isotope hydrology will
  be expanded.

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PROBLEMS / CONSTRAINTS

• Lack of isotope analytical facilities in few MSs
• 2. Lack of budget in some countries for field
  work and consumable (chemicals, spares, sampling
  bottles etc.)
• Delay in installation of mass spectrometers in
  AUS (ANSTO), PHI and THA

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PROBLEMS / CONSTRAINTS (cont.)

• Breakdown of analyser (mass spectrometer and
  liquid scintillation counter) in INS, VIE
• (RRUs analytical service being provided by
  IAEA can be availed)
• Thailand National Policy does not allow
  non-permanent staff to attend the training abroad
  
• (May organize National Training Course)
• 6. Delay in submission of six monthly progress
  reports by most of the MSs
• (Timely submission to be ensured by NRs)

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Achievements/General Progress

• NPCs of the Project except Mongolia, Singapore
  and Sri Lanka participated in the First Project
  Review Meeting.
• Twenty participants from Bangladesh, CPR, IND,
  INS, MAL, MYA, PAK, PHI, ROK, SRL, THA, VIE
  attended the RTC.
• The project is progressing according to the work
  plans in most of the countries
• National studies are carried out involving end
  users
• The MSs Collected hydrogeological information,
  and collected/ analysed water samples

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Achievements/General Progress (Cont.)

• Preliminary interpretation of data was done in
  most of the MSs.
• Six monthly progress reports were submitted
• Philippines and Pakistan organized National
  Executive Management Seminars in the end-user
  departments
• Some countries (AUS, BGD, PAK, SRL) identified
  additional national studies to carry out under
  this project

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SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVEMENT

• The NRs should hold meetings with NPCs and
  end-users
• to review project activities/progress
• to ensure implementation of national work plans
• to ensure timely submission of proper progress/
  final reports
• The NPCs should
• involve end-users and make them aware of isotope
  techniques
• disseminate results to stakeholders

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SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVEMENT (Cont.)

• improve access to analytical facilities,
• organize in-house training to end-users
  (appointment of on-the-ground experts,
  facilitation of national workshops on a technical
  and managerial level)
• emphasize on data analysis/interpretation and
  formulation of guidelines for the stakeholders
• compile isotope and chemical data of previously
  completed projects in water sector and ongoing
  project and submit to IAEA and PLCC.

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THANKS