Bangladesh Ship Breaking Industry Heavy Metal Pollutants Use of Biotechnological Approaches for Mitigation

Bangladesh Ship Breaking Industry, Heavy Metal Pollutants & Use of Biotechnological Approaches for Mitigation

Prepared By
Khadija Akther Shopna

ASSIGNMENT
ON
Bangladesh Ship Breaking Industry, Heavy Metal Pollutants & Use of Biotechnological Approaches for Mitigation

BTC520: Dynamics, Cell Cycle and Cell Death; Gene Mapping in Phages, and Bacteria

Submitted to
Dr. Mohammad Sorowar Hossain
Submission date
27th April’14

Submitted by
Khadija Akther Shopna
ID#13176001
Ms in Biotechnology
MNS Department

BRAC University

66 Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
Introduction
Ship-recycling in Bangladesh has been playing as a catalyst for the economy by supporting steel industry, shipbuilding industry and other industries and it has also been generating huge employments for the country.
Until the end of 20th century, ship-breaking took place in the port cities of industrialised countries. Due to its detrimental effect developed countries are avoiding this process. Old vessels may contain many harmful substances like Heavy metals, Asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that are banned in developed countries. However, ship-breaking has been encouraged in developing countries like Bangladesh for low labour cost and lax environmental rules. This results in toxic water. Accordingly, contaminated water kills many marine lives leading to a loss of biodiversity.
Ship-Breaking industry is one of the manmade hazards in the coast of Bangladesh like many other developing countries. It has a high importance in terms of its environmental impact, since it produces considerably large amounts of inorganic and organic chemicals. A major environmental problem in Ship-breaking industries is the discharge of these pollutants to the environment, causing pollution of sea water and nearby soil in the coastal zone of Chittagong. 1

Although the age of ship breaking in Bangladesh is more than 3 decades, but primitive working conditions and the lack of

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