The effect of sewage and industrial waste discharges on the primary production of a shallow turbulent river

Abstract

Sewage and industrial waste discharges have been found to have a deleterious effect on the primary productivity of the shallow turbulent tropical river Khan (Indore) India. Even though net primary production rates have exceeded the respiration rates in the early recovery zone, the industrial wastes and sewage discharges have been found to decrease the overall productivity of the river. The above studies have been compared with other investigations in the temperate regions of the world, which generally refer to the effects of organic pollution on the primary productivity of the running waters. The present investigations lead to a generalized observation that in tropical running waters, toxic industrial wastes and sewage discharges have a depressing effect on the overall production rates. However, comparable studies in the temperate regions are nonexistent, as the studies in the temperate regions mainly refer to organic pollution and do not take into account the effects of toxic industrial waste and sewage discharges.