The impact of urban growth on regional air quality surrounding the Langat River Basin, Malaysia

Studies of air quality were carried out in the towns of Kajang, Nilai and Banting in the Langat River Basin, southern region of Kuala Lumpur to determine the status and trend of air quality. The determination of air quality was based on several parameters such as suspended solids with diameters less than 10 μm (PM10) and gaseous pollutants of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO). Primary concentration data of air pollutants were compiled through fieldwork studies and combined with secondary data obtained from the regular monitoring data as collected by Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (ASMA) on behalf of Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) at their stations in Kajang and Nilai. Results showed that the average concentrations of PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, and CO at all sampling stations were still below the permissible values recommended by the Malaysian DOE. The level of gaseous pollutants of NO2, O3, and CO was recorded at statistically higher levels (p < 0.05) than values recorded at the control station at Pangsun Recreational Area. These pollutants were suspected to have originated mainly from exhaust systems of motor vehicles. Data for the years 1996 to 2006 as obtained from ASMA showed long-term air quality trends of increasing O3 and NO2 concentrations in Kajang whilst concentrations of PM10 recorded at both Kajang and Nilai stations were mostly expected coming from transboundary sources especially biomass burning and the development activities around the study areas. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.