Water Quality Assessment in Terms of Major and Minor Elements in Surface, Ground and Sea Water and Correlating the Presence with Associated Problems

Abstract

The major and minor elements and their salts are the targeted investigation of surface water, ground water and sea water by the scientists worldwide. The presence of such elements depends on the nature of rock, soil, weathering phenomenon, pH value, water soluble salts etc. Other than the natural source, many contaminants are introduced into water by the domestic or industrial activities of that region. The heavy metals have a tendency to accumulate in animal and human bodies through this water system. Moreover, the accumulation of these heavy metals beyond permissible level has harmful effects on biotic components. These metals also get accumulated in water-sediment and percolate down in to ground water that effects food chain and biomagnification. The mobility of metal or its salt in water depends upon chemical forms in which it exists in water. Major components (Na+; Ca+, Mg+, K+, Cl−, NO3−, HCO3− etc.) and minor elements (Al+, F−, Cd+, Co+, Cu+, Cr+, Fe+, Mn+, Ni+, Pb+, Sr.+, Zn+ etc.) are present in surface water, ground water and sea water. The present chapter deals with the water quality of surface water, ground water and sea water assessed by the authors and their team of scientists, where, the distribution of major and minor element concentrations in the surface and ground was evaluated in one of the districts of India, Moradabad Uttar Pradesh, whereas, seawater from Southern ocean and glacial lake water from Proglacial and Epishelf lakes of Antarctica. Major and minor elements beyond the permissible limits causes severe health problems such as liver cancer, diabetes, cirrhosis of liver, diseases related to heart and central nervous system, infertility etc. and thus needs to be monitored on regular basis.