Authors: Paul Geoffrey Whitehead, Zineb Mimouni, Daniel Butterfield, Gianbattista Bussi, Mohammed Abed Hossain, Rebecca Peters, Shammi Shawal, Phillip Holdship, Cordelia Petra Nadine Rampley, Li Jin and Duane Ager
A new multibranch Integrated Catchment (INCA) model INCA-Metals has been developed to simulate the impact of tannery discharges on river systems. The model accounts for the key chemical reaction kinetic processes operating as well as sedimentation, resuspension, dilution, mixing and redistribution of pollutants in rivers downstream of tannery discharge points and for mine discharges or acid rock drainage sites. It was applied to the new Savar tannery complex on the Dhaleshwari River system in Bangladesh to assess the impacts on pollution levels in the river system and to evaluate a set of treatment scenarios for pollution control, particularly in the dry season.