INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Volume 1, No 6, Copyright 2010 All rights reserved Integrated Publishing Association

Transcription

1 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Volume 1, No 6, 2011 Copyright 2010 All rights reserved Integrated Publishing Association Research article ISSN Seasonal Variations In PhysicoChemical Parameters Of Water In Coconut Husk Retting Area, Parakkani, Department of Biotechnology, Malankara Catholic College, Mariagiri, Kaliakkavilai, Kanyakumari District, ABSTRACT This study focused upon the Seasonal variation of physicochemical parameters in water samples from coconut husk retting area in Parakkani river near Thengapattanam. The purpose was to assess the quality of water from the sources in three different seasons. Water samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters including ph, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, total hardness, dissolved oxygen, BOD, COD and anions analyzed were Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, No 3, No 2, So 4 2, Po 4 2, F and Cl. The data showed variation of the investigated parameters in samples as follows: ph , electrical conductivity micS/cm, Po 4 2, mg/L; F, mg/L; No 3, 3 12mg/L; No 2, mg/L; So 4 2, mg/L; Fe, mg/L; Mn, mg/L.The concentrations of most of the investigated parameters in the water sample from coconut husk retting area in Parakkani river were exceeded the permissible limit of WHO and CPHEEO water quality guidelines. Keywords: Seasonal variation, Physicochemical, retting, coconut husk, WHO, CPHEEO. 1. Introduction Water, an essential requirement for all forms of life, needs protection from pollution which otherwise pose a threat to human life. Environmental conditions such as salinity, oxygen, temperature and nutrients influence the composition, distribution and growth of its biota (Swami et al., 2000). Hydrogen sulphide is a major pollutant of the water bodies; the blackening sediment in the polluted area was due to the local chemical reaction where sulphates get converted to sulphides (Hynes, 1966). Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water (Diersing and Nancy, 2009). The most common standards used to assess water quality relate to drinking water, safety of human contact and for the health of ecosystems. Environmental water quality, also called ambient water quality, relates to water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. Water quality standards vary significantly due to different environmental conditions, ecosystems, and intended human uses. Toxic substances and high populations of certain microorganisms can present a health hazard for nondrinking purposes such as irrigation, swimming, fishing, boating, and industrial uses. These conditions may also affect wildlife which use the water for drinking or as a habitat. Sediments are indicators of quality of overlying water and its study is a useful tool in the assessment of environmental pollution (Anila Kumary et al.,1998).environmental scientists focus on achieving goals for maintaining healthy ecosystems and may concentrate of the protection of populations of endangered species and protecting human health. In India ponds, rivers and ground water are used for domestic and agricultural purposes. The quality of water may be described according to their physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. Received on December, 2010 Published on February

2 For effective maintenance of water quality through appropriate control measures, continuous monitoring of large number of quality parameters is essential. Water quality is a major environmental issue. Agriculture is a major source of several nonpointsource pollutants, including nutrients, sediment, pesticides, and salts. Agricultural nonpoint pollution reduction policies can be designed to induce producers to change their production practices in ways that improve the environmental and related economic consequences of production. The information necessary to design economically efficient pollution control policies is almost always lacking. Instead, policies can be designed to achieve specific environmental or other similarly related goals at least cost, given transaction costs and any other political, legal, or informational constraints that may exist. This report outlines the economic characteristics of five instruments that can be used to reduce agricultural nonpoint source pollution (economic incentives, standards, education, liability, and research) and discusses empirical research related to the use of these instruments (Abdalla et al., 1992). The availability of good quality water is an indispensable feature for preventing diseases and improving quality of life (Oluduro and Aderiye, 2007). The major aim of the study was to report on the assessment of the physicochemical parameter of the water sample in three different seasons (north east monsoon, intermediate season and dry season) from coconut husk retting area in Parakkani river. 2. Experimental studies Samples were collected in three different seasons (north east monsoon, intermediate season and dry season) September 2009 March 2010 from coconut husk retting area near Parakkani river, Thengapattanam, Kanyakumari district,, South India. Water samples were tested for different physicochemical parameters.the appearance and odour of the water sample was noted by the colour, turbid and smell in sample. Turbidity was analyzed by Turbidity Meter tubes. Electrical conductivity was measured by conductivity meter. The physicochemical parameter such as ph, alkalinity, phosphate (PO 4 P), nitrite (NO 2 N), nitrate (NO 3 N) were measured according to the standard procedures (APHA, 1998; Grasshoff, 1983). Flame photometer (Model Systronic 128) was used for determination of metal ions Na+, K+ and Ca2+. Silver nitrate method was used to estimate the chloride present in water samples. Sulphate was determined by turbidimetric method. Total hardness was calculated by complexometric titration using EDTA (Vogel, 1978). Magnesium content can be determined from the value of total hardness and calcium hardness of water. Ammonia was determined by direct nesslerisation method. Fluoride was determined by ZirconylAlizarin method. A water characteristic of dissolved oxygen (DO) was estimated Winkler s methods and Sulphide (Strickland et al., 1972). BOD determination was based on the dissolved measurement. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) were estimated according to the procedure of Vogel (1978). 3. Result and Discussion In this study analysis of water quality in different seasons was carried out to determine the seasonal variation of physical and chemical characteristics of water. The results were listed in table 1 and fig 1,2. The appearance of the water was brownish and it shows algae odour. Turbidity was in the range from 16 to 36NTU, total dissolved solids (579 to 3935mg/L), electrical conductivity (852 to 5787micS/cm). The obtained value of turbidity and total dissolved solids exceeds the highest desirable and maximum permissible limit of WHO standards. 1057

3 ph was in the range 6.72 to 7.71 and it was in the maximum permissible limit. The agricultural activities of the area where the samples were taken did not alter the ph of the water samples. Water has been classified on the basis of hardness as follows (Adeyeye and Abulude, 2004): water having 075mg CaCO3 L1 as soft, 75150mg CaCO3 L1 as hard while samples having total hardness of over 300mg CaCO3 L1 was hard. The water samples used in the study showed that total hardness in the range from 140 to 1040 CaCo3 mg/l. Based on these, the water samples in this study fell under hard water. Hardness level exceeds the desirable and permissible limit of WHO. The total concentration of divalent metal ions (primarily Ca and Mg) expressed in mg L1 of equivalent CaCO3 is termed total hardness of water. Mg and Ca were in the range of 12 to 187mg L1 and 35 to 168mg L1 respectively. These metals fell within the maximum acceptable limit by WHO. The presence of appreciable concentration of Ca and Mg were consistent with the level of hardness because higher values of Ca and Mg were consistent with total hardness. Sodium level was in the range from mg/L, potassium (21 105mg/L). CPHEEO standard desirable limit of iron was 0.1 and the permissible limit was 1, but the observed value was in the range from mg/L. Mn level in water sample was mg/L, NH 3 ( mg/L) and the nitrite NO 2 level was mg/L). Chloride was in the range of mg/L which exceeds the desirable level (200mg/L) and permissible limit (600mg/L) of WHO. Chlorides are relatively harmless to organisms except when converted to CL2, CLOand CLO3which are toxic. High chloride content impacts taste and could cause corrosion (WHO, 1990). Dissolved oxygen ranged from mg L1. The nitrate values ranged between 3 and 12mg L1 not exceeded the desirable and permissible limit (45mg/L) of WHO. The results showed that all samples have low nitrate values. Nitrate in natural waters can be traced to percolating nitrate from sources such as decaying plant and animal materials, agricultural fertilizers, domestic sewage (Adeyeye and Abulude, 2004). A nitrate content of more than 100mg L1 impact bitter taste to water and may cause physiological problem. Drinking water contains more than 50mg/l nitrate can cause methamoglobinemia in infants (Uba and Aghogho, 2001). Nitrate causes the overgrowth of algae, other organism and fouls the water system. Epidemiological studies have predicted association between exposures to nitrate and gastric cancer because of the reaction of nitrate with amine in diet forming carcinogenic nitrosomoamines. Fluoride and sulphate level was in the range of ( mg/L) and (21 120mg/L). Based on the CPHEEO standard the fluoride desirable level should be 1 and the standard permissible limit 1.5mg/L. WHO standards showed highest desirable limit of sulphate 200 and the maximum permissible limit should be 400mg/L. Phosphate content was in the range of mg/L, tidy s test 4hrs as O 2 ( mg/L), dissolved oxygen ( mg/L) and COD (45 108mg/L). WHO highest desirable limit was 1.3mg/L but the observed value exceeds limit to 15 36mg/L. There was no visible floating in the water sample indicating absence of oil and grease. 4. Conclusion Water quality standards vary significantly due to different environmental conditions, ecosystem. The variation observed were probably due to various factors such as trace metal contents of all the soil and crops, geographical location, fertilizers and fungicides applied in the area, environmental pollutions due to organic pollutant such as phenol, tannin, lignin, and other agricultural activities. 1058

4 Table 1: Physicochemical analysis of water in different seasons Sl: No: Parameters North East Monsoon (September) Intermediate Season (January) Dry Season (March) I Physical examination 1 Appearance Brownish Brownish Brownish 2 Odour Algae Algae Algae 3 Turbidity NT units Total dissolved solids mg/l Electrical conductivity mics/cm II Chemical examination 6 ph AlkalinityPh as CaCO Alkalinity Total as CaCO Total Hardness as CaCO Calcium as Ca Magnesium as Mg Sodium as Na Potassium as K Iron Total as Fe Manganese as Mn Free Ammonia as NH Nitrite as NO Nitrate as NO Chloride as Cl Fluoride as F Sulphate as SO Phosphate as PO Tidy s Test 4hrs as O Dissolved Oxygen BOD COD

5 Physical Analysis Physical parameter North East M onsoon Intermediate Season Dry Season seasons Turbidity TDS EC Figure1: Variations in Physical Parameters of Water 1800 Chemical Analysis Chemical parameter North East Monsoon Intermediate Season Dry Season Seasons ph Alkalinity ph as Caco3 Alkalinity total as Caco3 Total hardness Ca Mg Na K Fe Mn NH3 NO2 NO3 Cl F SO4 PO4 O2 DO BOD COD Figure 2: Variations in Chemical Parameters of Water Acknowledgement We are grateful to Dr. Susheela gomathy, Lecturer National College Trivandrum and staff members of Biotechnology Department, Malankara Catholic College for their encouragement 1060

6 throughout this work. We are also thankful to Rev. Fr. Prem Kumar, Correspondent and Secretary, Malankara Catholic College, Mariagiri for his constant encouragement and support. 5. References 1. Abdalla C W, Roach B A, Epp D J, Valuing environmental quality changes using averting expenditures: an application to groundwater contamination. Land Economics., 68:pp Adeyeye E I and Abulude F O, Analytical assessments of some surface and ground water resources in IleIfe, Nigeria. J. Chem. Soc. Nig. 29: pp Anila Kumary K S, Abdul Azis, Water quality of the Poonthura estuary Thiruvananthapuram. Mahasagar, 25: pp APHA, AWWA, WEF, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, American Public Health Association, Washington DC, USA. 5. Diersing, Nancy, Water Quality: Frequently Asked Questions. PDA. NOAA. 6. Grasshoff K, Enrhardt M and Krenling K, Methods of Seawater Analysis, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim. 7. Hynes H B N, The Biology of Polluted waters, Liverpool University Press, pp: 202. Oluduro A O, Adewoye B I, Efficiency of moringa Oleifera Sead extract on The microflora of surface and ground water J. plant Sci. 6: pp Strickland J DH and T R Parsons, A Practical hand book of seawater analysis. Bulletin Fisheries Research Board Canada, pp Swami B, S Suryawanshi and A Karande, Water quality of Mumbai harbour an update. Indian J. Marine Sci., 29: pp Uba B N and Aghogho O, Rain water quality from different roof catchments in PortHarcourt district. Institute Public Analyst of Nigeria News. 2: pp Vogel A I, A text book of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis Including Elementary Instrumental Analysis 4th Ed. The English Language Book Society and Langman. Co. 12. WHO, Guidelines for drinking water quality, Vol.2. Health Criteria and other supporting information, Genera; WHO. 1061