Study on Physico-Chemical Parameters of Waste Water Effluents from Taloja Industrial Area of Mumbai, India

Abstract

The present research work deals with the study of some of the important physico-chemical parameters of industrial waste water effluents collected from Taloja industrial belt of Mumbai. The study reveals that engineering, paper mill, fine chemical, dyes, paint, pharmaceutical, petrochemical and textile industries are some of the major industries re- sponsible for polluting the surrounding aquatic environment. It was observed that pH values of effluent samples collected from paint, pharmaceutical and dyes industries were slightly above and below the limit of 6.5 to 8.5 by ISI and WHO. The effluent samples collected from textile industries shows extremely high Total Dissolved Soild (TDS) content of 12023.6 mg/L and correspondingly high Total Solid (TS) content of 13499.2 mg/L. The chloride content in the effluents from textile industries was 238.4 mg/L which was significantly high than acceptable limit of 200 mg/L set by WHO. The BOD values of effluent samples collected from pharmaceutical, dyes, engineering and paint industries were 1047.3, 776.2, 604.8 and 535.8 mg/L respectively which lie above the maximum permitted BOD content of < 100 to 300 mg/L. The COD values in the different industrial effluent samples were also very much higher than maximum permissible limit of 4.0 mg/L according to USPH Standard. The overall results highlight towards the discharge of highly polluted waste water effluent from indus- tries of Taloja Industrial area of Mumbai. These industrial effluents have resulted in pollution of nearby Kasardi River thereby affecting the growth of vegetation and aquatic life. The results of the present investigation point out the need to implement common objectives, compatible policies and programmes for improvement in the industrial waste water treat- ment methods.