Dong Nai River Pollution and the Impact on Human Health, Research Paper Example

What kind of pollutants being found in the river?

The presence of harmful bacteria and other forms of microbial life are an important concern in regards to the Dong Nai River.  Pollution rates seem to indicate that the water itself has a large amount of contamination from these sources.  This is evidenced by studies, which indicate that “the ratio of people suffering from surface water transmitted diseases is quite high” (Chuong 57).  In 2005, these rates were found to be almost 0.5 percent for people affected with diarrheal diseases in the basin.  This rate of infection is evident of an underlying problem in regards to the pollutants that can be found in the river.  These pollutants can create various health problems for the human populations that live near the water sources.

Another source of concern is the presence of illegal pesticides in the river basin.  “In general, DDTs are the most abundant OC contaminants found in the environment of Vietnam” (Minh 460).  Despite the fact that these chemicals have been banned for decades, studies indicate that they must be in use, due to their presence in the water.  Although ratios have dropped since the early 1990s form almost 7 percent, a 2004 study still found them to be at around 0.5 percent.  The issue of DDT being found in the water is another concern of those whose health depends on the cleanliness of the river.  These needs are important concerns for the Vietnamese government as well as international human rights workers.  The underlying effects of chemicals such as DDT in the environment can have disastrous consequences for human health.

What is the impact/effect to the human’s health?

One of the major impacts to human health resulting from these issues is an increasing rate of infectious diseases that could be prevented.  This is evidenced the fact that the “rate of people infected with diarrhoeal diseases in some provinces in Dong Nai River Basin” were found to be, in some areas, above two percent of the total population, a staggering amount (The World Bank 58).  This indicates a problem in regards to the health of the river.  These levels suggest that action should be taken in order to mitigate the health concerns of the population.  Furthermore, the quality of water in one area can have a profound effect on the quality of other areas.  This is important due to the “potential risk of spreading infectious diseases to a wider community” (The World Bank 59).  For this reason, the sanitation of the water has profound implications for human health.

The highest amounts of pollution are centered in the top 10 communities of the region, reaching 82 percent of the entire amount of pollution that the area creates.  There is, therefore, a high concentration of the contamination in these specific areas.  This demonstrates the concern resulting from the fact that the Dong Nai river basin is ranked as number six on the national pollution index of Vietnam (The World Bank 47).  This index accounts for air, land, and water pollution in order to quantify the level of pollution in various areas in relation to one another.  This can help to account for the various manufacturing processes that have been the sources of pollution in the area.

The issue of DDT and other pesticides being dumped into the river, presents a sense of the overwhelming environmental impact that pesticides have had.  “before 1985, about 6,000 to 9,000 tons per year of organochlorine (OC) pesticides were used in agriculture” (Minh 464).  The impact of DDT on human health can be disastrous from increased risk of cancer to various other issues regarding fertility and childhood development.  This is, therefore, an important issue that should be considered.

Works Cited

Minh, Nguyen Hung. Persistent Organic Pollutants in Sediments from Sai Gon–Dong Nai River Basin, Vietnam: Levels and Temporal Trends. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 52, 458– 465, 2007. Print.

Review and Analysis of the Population Impacts from Vietnamese Manufacturing Sectors. The World Bank. 2008. Print.

The Current State of Water Environment in 3 River Basins of Cau, Nhue-Day, and Dong-Nai River Systems. The World Bank. Environmental Report of Vietnam. 2006. Print.