Pollution Discharge Scenario of Metallurgical Industries along Dombivali Industrial Belt of Mumbai, India

Abstract

The paper deals with monitoring of pollution arising due to metallurgical industries located along the Dombivali industrial belt of Mumbai, India. The study was carried for the period of one year from June, 2012 to May, 2013 to study the level of toxic heavy metals and the physico-chemical properties of waste water effluents discharged from the above industries. The concentration levels of Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Fe and Zn were found to be maximum of 41.00, 1.47, 5.97, 2.55, 46.86 and 12.97 ppm respectively during winter and summer seasons starting from December to May. The pH value was found to be maximum of 10.30 in the month of February, while the conductivity was found to be maximum of 25067 μmhos/cm in the month of July. The majority of physco-chemical parameters like salinity, chloride content, and total solids (TS) were observed to be maximum in the month of June having values of 6.32, 2411 and 20738 ppm respectively. The high cyanide (0.09 ppm), phosphate (117.21 ppm), COD (13640 ppm) and low DO content of 5.79 ppm were observed in the effluents released during the month of February. The alkalinity content in the effluent was maximum of 1395 ppm in the month of May. The hardness and BOD values of the effluents were reported maximum of 490 and 557 ppm in the month of October. From the results of the present investigation it seems that the time has come to implement proper effluent water treatment techniques and enforcement of pollution control by the regulatory authority on the indiscriminate discharge of industrial wastewater into water bodies.