INFLUENCING PARAMETER OF SELF PURIFICATION PROCESS IN THE URBAN AREA OF CIKAPUNDUNG RIVER, INDONESIA
Keywords:
Deoxygenation Rate, Self-purification, Urban river, Water qualityAbstract
Self-purification process is an important process in the effort of recovering the river condition
itself. This process usually takes place naturally. However, several inhibitions might disturb the process. It
was indicated by the slow deoxygenation rate and unhealthy river condition. This research aims to identify
the influence parameters responsible for the slow of self-purification in the Cikapundung River, which is
located in the urban area of Bandung City, Indonesia. The river water samples were taken and analyzed in the
laboratory to obtain the water quality. The deoxygenation rate was also calculated based on the Slope Method
after data was acquired from 10 days daily observation. Research showed that the value of urban river
deoxygenation rate is relatively low. The low value of the rate of deoxygenation led to the difficulty in rivers
to purify themselves. Pollutants inhibiting the process include phenol, detergent, and heavy metals, which are
contaminating the river over the maximum standard. Biologically, the decomposer consists in the river is few.
It leads to a slow organic degradation rate. The condition is representing the low capacity of self-purification
of the Cikapundung River which is caused mainly by chemical and biological parameters.