Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERS AND HEAVY METAL DISTRIBUTION ALONG THE PANCHGANGA RIVER, MS, INDIA

Dhawal S. J. and *Dr. Raut P. D.

ABSTRACT

The Assessment of physico-chemical characters and heavy metal distribution along the Panchganga River, MS India during the period of 2015-16 was carried out by selecting three sites namely, Piral (Upstream), Kolhapur (Midstream), and Narsobawadi (Downstream). The selected five physico-chemical characters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) were found to be in an increasing trend from Piral to Narsobawadi as well as during Monsoon to summer. The pH was varied from 7.08 to 8.28 which are within BIS permissible limit for surface water i.e. 6.5 - 8.5. The electrical conductivity was varied from 220-880 μSiemens/cm for three sites during Monsoon to summer. The DO varied from 2.80 to 5 mg/l, the BOD from 3 to 31 mg/l whereas COD from 10 to 41 mg/l. The Piral site showed good concentration of DO during Monsoon, winter and summer season. The BOD for the Kolhapur during winter and summer and Narsobawadi during Monsoon, winter and summer has exceeded CPCB permissible limit for surface water i.e. 6 mg/l. The site Narsobawadi during summer has exceeded WHO (World Health Organization) permissible limit for drinking water of COD i.e. 10 mg/l. The highly toxic heavy metals such as Lead(Pb), Cadmium(Cd), average toxic metals like Zinc(Zn), Nickel(Ni), Chromium(Cr), Manganese(Mn) and low toxic metal like Iron (Fe) were detected by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The concentration of Fe, Cd and Cr metal has exceeded BIS permissible limit of 0.3 mg/l, 0.01 mg/l and 0.05 mg/l respectively.

Keywords: Water, Pollution, Heavy metals, Physico-chemical Parameters.