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access
to
water
and
sanitation
for
all
that kale, mustard, long bean, cucumber, okra, and water
spinach cultivated in Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur contained
the highest level of lead ions, above the maximum permis-
sible levels advised by the Malaysian Food Act 1983, and
Food Regulations 1985, and as stipulated in the Codex
Alimentarius Commission limits.
The presence of these trace elements, particularly lead,
cadmium, mercury, and arsenic found in the agricultural
villages, gives cause for concern on issues of food safety,
security and toxicity, a fact which has been highly publicised
by environmental scientists. In parallel to this development,
a national study has been carried out by a research team
from the River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research
Centre (REDAC), Universiti Sains Malaysia, led by Dr. Foo
Keng Yuen, and Miss Chow Yuh Nien, with support from
the Toray Science Foundation, Japan, local regulatory agen-
cies and authorities, and government and non-governmental
organizations, with the specific aims to assess the impact
of wastewater irrigation practice on the crops’ growth and
yield, as well as to examine the uptake and translocation
of water pollutants in the water-soil-plant system, and the
potential implications on food products, human health, and
the ecosystem overall.
A well-structured survey has also been carried out among
a group of farmers from the major plantation areas of Perak,
Penang, Kedah, Pahang, Selangor and Johor, Malaysia. The
investigations took place for both conventional farming and
hydroponic cultivation, examining the fastest growing soil-
less technique under greenhouse conditions. Experiments
were conducted to provide temperature control, reduce
evaporative water loss, control disease and pest infections,
and protect against the changing weather. A number of crop
models were used including mung bean, cowpea, water
spinach, cabbage, lettuce, and Chinese cabbage.
A viable solution to climate change and water scarcity – wastewater irrigation
in the plantation areas of Alor Setar, Kedah, and Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
Soil pollution by toxic metals caused by wastewater irrigation of agricultural
land in Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia
The present investigation was supported and funded by the Toray Science
Foundation Award, Japan
Image: USM
Image: USM
Image: USM
Image: USM