Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes of palm oil mill effluent in surface water and groundwater water

Stable isotope technique has been applied in this study to determine whether the isotopic ratio values of 2h and 18o could be used distinctly to identify palm oil mill effluent (pome) as a source of surface water and groundwater contamination in the study area. in this project,surface water samples from upstream and downstream of palm oil effluent mill-related furrow and river groundwater samples within the study site,along with pome samples,were analysed to study the applicability of the stable isotope ratios as a tool for evaluating the characteristics of pome and its impact to the environment. the highly enriched isotopic values of pome and treated pome associated with oil palm production processes and treatment of the pome in the effluent treatment plant (etp) provide unique distinct isotopic composition for the pome and treated pome-impacted waters resulted from the mixing process either in the surface water or groundwater. © penerbit universiti sains malaysia,2017.