WATER-QUALITY OF INANAM RIVER ESTUARY AND THE KO-NELAYAN TIGER PRAWN AQUACULTURE PONDS IN SABAH, MALAYSIA

Concentrations of selected metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn and Pb), oxidiza ble organic carbons, sediment acid potentials, dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved solids, suspended solids, pH, conductivity, salinity and tem perature in the Inanam River Estuary and the KO-Nelayan tiger prawn aq uaculture ponds were monitored during the period March to August 1989. Dissolved Co and Pb were found to be higher than the recommended valu es of 0.05 mgl-1 (Krenkel & Novotny, 1980; Nemerow, 1985), whereas the other metals were comparable to the recommended safe levels. DO conce ntrations of the river and pond water were in the range 2.6-4.7 mgl-1 and 3.0-5.3 mgl-1 respectively, both with an average which was lower t han the optimum value for the growth of prawns which is 5 mgl-1. Ferro us sulfide concentrations were in the range 0.14-1.20 %. Suspended sol ids were higher than the maximum (40 mgl-1) recommended value by WHO ( 1978). Other physical parameters were within the recommended range for optimal growth of tiger prawns.