Abstract
Indiscriminate disposal of hazardous chemicals and industrial wastes causes pollution of ground water regime as well as subsurface soil layers. Various processes and mechanisms control the transport of pollutants when they come in contact with soil water system. Somni stream watershed is suffering from such disposal of effluents from steel industries. Therefore an attempt has been made to assess the water quality deterioration as well as its impact on human health. The present study area falls on Survey of India Toposheet no.64G/8 and 64 G/12. Based on the Survey results, a network of 23 observation sites were selected for periodic water quality in pre-monsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Water samples were collected and were analysed for various physico-chemical characteristics. Waste effluent from steel industry were also collected and analysed. The results of the analysis indicated significant variations in the ground water quality with respect to space and time. Based on the results, the causes for water quality with deterioration in the wells and surface water, seasonal trends in the level of contamination were identified. From analysis it is found that the trace elements like, cyanide, cadmium, chromium, boron, lead and phenol are present in both surface and ground water samples exceeding the limits prescribed by WHO and other agencies. Due to this higher concentration of trace elements health of the villagers residing in this watershed has been affected. Cases of skin diseases, diaharia, jaundice, hepatitis are found in the present study area. Keywords: Industrial wastes, soil water system, diarrhoea, jaundice, hepatitis.
Highlights
The water which is essential to human life is the fresh water and it is 2.8% of the total water resources on the planet earth
The first order tributaries of Somni stream originating from Bhilai steel plant (BSP) area receives liquid waste discharged by the steel plant
Ground water: The pre-monsoon ground water samples collected from adjacent area of Somni stream course show concentrations of Cd and Pb, exceeding the maximum permissible limits for drinking. 58% samples show C (Max. conc. 0.05 ppm) and 75% show Pb concentrations exceeding the maximum permissible limit (Table 1)
Summary
The water which is essential to human life is the fresh water and it is 2.8% of the total water resources on the planet earth Of this fresh water, 2.2% is surface water and 0.6% is present in the form of ground water. It is estimated that about 0.4%, of total water resources available on planet earth is available for direct utilisation by man, animals and plants. As such water is precious to man. One of the watershed which is directly affected by the disposal of BSP liquid waste is Somni stream water shed. The first order tributaries of Somni stream originating from BSP area receives liquid waste discharged by the steel plant.
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