Physico-Chemical Studies:
The parameters like pH, temperature and transparency were recorded at the sampling sites with the help of Water Analysis Kit (Make: Centuary, New Delhi). While APHA, (1998) and Trivedi and Goel, (1984).
A. Physical analysis of water:
Depth:
Depth of water of sampling sites was recorded by means of a nylon rope to the lower end of which a heavy weight attached.
Temperature:
Temperature of water was recorded with the help of centigrade thermometer by emerging its bulb in water at different collections sites. The thermometer was quickly lowered to the desired depth and was allowed to stand for 10-15 minutes. The thermometer was quickly pulled out and the temperature was recorded on day of collection.
Transparency:
The transparency was determined by Secchi disc method. A circular metal disc of 20 cm. in diameter was prepared and was painted in contrasting colour of black and white alternately on the upper surface. To determine the possibility of reflection of light from the other side, it was painted black the instrument called Secchi disc was fixed to a rope on opposite side heavy weight attached. In each time for the recording, the disc was allowed to go inside the water gradually with the help of string until the upper surface of the disc disappeared completely from the site. A mark was put it the string, just outside the water level. The string was slightly more loosened so that disc could go further deep in the water. Now the string was slowly lifted (pulled) up till disc becomes visible again in the water on its return journey. Again this length was recorded. Now, both depth of disappearance and reappearance of disc were measured and turbidity was calculated as:
The distance calculated by this formula is directly proportional to transparency and inversely proportional to turbidity of water.
B. Chemical analysis of water:
Chemical factor of water were estimated by using different chemicals and solutions. These were prepared as suggested by APHA, 1998 and following methods were adopted to calculate the presence of different chemical parameters.
Potential hydrogen (pH):
The pH of water was determined locally at the collected sites by the help of pH paper. One flap of pH paper was taken out and was immersed in water. After keeping it for few minutes in water it was taken out and was found that the colour of pH paper was changed. The change of colour of the paper was compared with the colour chart of the pH and thus, the pH of water was determined at the spot. The sample of water was taken in the laboratory and was also verified by the pH meter. The selector knob of pH meter was kept in zero position. The electrode of the meter was rinsed by the distilled water, the breaker in which the pond water was taken, also rinsed in the distilled water, so that no foreign elements can get mixed with the water to be tested. The water was taken into the rinsed beaker and the electrode was immersed into the water. The switch was turned to paper range as the temperature compensator knob to the temperature of the solution was fixed. Then, the pH of the water at the collected sites was taken at the regular intervals and was plotted on graphs.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO):
250 c.c. sample water was taken in a ground stopper bottle of 300 c.c. capacity. After adding 2 c.c. of magnous sulphate and 2 c.c. of alkaline iodide, it was allowed to shaken vigorously for about 15 seconds and was allowed to settle. Now, 2 c.c. of conc. H2SO4 was added and shaken vigorously to dissolve the precipitate. This procedure was applied for the fixation of oxygen at various sampling sites. After that, 200 c.c. of water fixed at sampling sites was taken in Erlenmeyer conical flask and titrated with sodium thio-sulphate and was recorded and equated to: Dissolved oxygen is no. of ml and Na2SO4Xppm of dissolved oxygen. In this way the amount of dissolved oxygen was calculated month wise and presented through tables and graphs.
Calculation:
N×V×1000×8
Dissolved oxygen in mg/L =
mL of sample
Where,
N= Normality of Sodium thio-sulphate.
V= Volume of Sodium thio-sulphate used.
Carbon di-oxide (CO2):
100 c.c. of water sample was taken in conical flask and 10 drops of phenolphthalein indicator was added to it when water remain colourless, it was titrated with n/44 sodium hydroxide until a weak pink coloration appeared and remained at least for 50 seconds.
Calculation:
Nitrate:
It was determined in ppm according to the method prescribed in Neeri, (1986) following the calloritic method. 100 mL of sample water was filtered through Whatman’s filter paper No.42 and evaporated to dryness in a conical flask. 2 mL of phenol disulphuric acid, 10 mL of distilled water and 10 mL of NaOH solution were added in the flask. The resultant solution was measured in calorimeter scale and 410 nm length against a reference blank.
Statistical Analysis:
The data obtained were tabulated, graphically represented and subjected to statistical analysis using the computerized program (Graph Pad Prism 7.01). Simple means, standard deviations and Pearson’s correlation have been done by software and found significant (p>0.05).
RESULT:
In order to assess the eutrophication and pollution load of any ecological system, the physico-chemical and biological factors are to be monitor precisely because both the parameters over all display the existing status of the concerned system under investigation. Water is the basic element for the existence of aquatic fauna and its specific properties as a cultural medium are naturally of great significance in the productivity of lake. The fresh water bodies are being greatly affected by excessive influence of human activities. The interaction of physical and chemical parameters of any aquatic system determines the nature of the aquatic organisms inhabiting it.
The studies of the physico-chemical characteristics of a water body not only provide the data about their seasonal and spatial variation in various physico-chemical factors of an aquatic environment effect directly or indirectly the aquatic fauna. Each physical and chemical parameter has its own role and importance and it is impossible to make any generalization as to which factor might be more important because of its specific requirements. In the present study, the seasonal variations in certain physico-chemical parameters of water of Chhapakaiya pond Birganj, Nepal have been taken into consideration from the year 2014-2015 (Table 1). It is evident from the data of depth of the different sites of Chhapakaiya pond, Birganj that maximum depths were recorded in rainy season whereas minimum depth in summer season during the study year at all sites (Table 1). The maximum transparency was observed during summer season, moderate during winter season and lower during rainy season in study year (Table 1). Table 2 shows seasonal variation of surface water temperature observed during experimental year. The mean surface water temperature of Chhapakaiya pond was recorded between 18.8 ºC during winter season, 26.3 ºC during summer season and 22.0 ºC during rainy season. There was a seasonal variation in surface water temperature of the pond. The maximum temperature was observed during summer season, moderate during rainy season and lower during winter season in study year. pH of a water body is an important factor influencing the species and metabolism of all animal and plants inhabiting it. The water of Chhapakaiya pond Birganj, was found to be slightly alkaline in all the sampling sites. The minimum pH was observed in winter season, moderate during summer season and higher during rainy season at all sites during the study periods. The average mean pH of the Chhapakaiya pond Birganj, was recorded 8.81 in rainy season, 8.53 in summer season and 8.49 in winter season during the experimental years (Table 1).
Table 1: Seasonal variation in different parameters at four different sampling sites of Chhapakaiya pond Birganj, Nepal.
|
Seasons |
Sites |
||||
|
A |
B |
C |
D |
Mean |
|
|
Depth (meter) |
|||||
|
Winter Summer Rainy |
4.96 4.61 5.65 |
5.07 4.44 5.42 |
5.17 4.47 6.00 |
6.62 6.57 8.27 |
5.37 3.87 6.32 |
|
Transparency |
|||||
|
Winter Summer Rainy |
63.5 68.5 54.7 |
63.7 68.4 54.6 |
63.3 68.4 54.6 |
66.2 75.9 60.2 |
64.1 70.3 56.0 |
|
Temperature (0C) |
|||||
|
Winter Summer Rainy |
18.7 26.3 22.0 |
18.9 26.5 22.2 |
18.7 26.4 22.1 |
18.5 26.2 21.9 |
18.8 26.3 22.0 |
|
pH |
|||||
|
Winter Summer Rainy |
8.40 8.53 8.77 |
8.1 8.37 8.89 |
9.02 8.70 8.52 |
8.40 8.52 9.09 |
8.49 8.53 8.81 |
|
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) mg/L |
|||||
|
Winter Summer Rainy |
11.7 10.7 12.5 |
10.0 9.1 6.75 |
9.9 9.6 6.7 |
9.6 10.4 9.9 |
10.34 9.95 9.06 |
|
Carbon dioxide mg/L |
|||||
|
Winter Summer Rainy |
18.5 17.2 20.5 |
18.0 17.7 19.0 |
11.2 13.2 18.2 |
14.5 13.6 19.0 |
15.5 15.4 19.2 |
|
Nitrate mg/L |
|||||
|
Winter Summer Rainy |
4.60 6.65 6.05 |
19.7 19.7 18.5 |
16.2 17.3 15.5 |
12.9 14.9 9.9 |
13.3 14.6 12.2 |
The seasonal variation was also observed in case dissolved oxygen. The maximum dissolved oxygen was noted during winter season, moderate in summer season and lowest in rainy season at all sites during the study periods. The fluctuation of free CO2 at all selected site were found to be in the range of 19.2 to 15.5 mg/L, respectively in the study year (Table 1). Nitrates are the end products of the aerobic stabilization of organic nitrogen and occur in trace quantity in water. It is important factor for the fertility of the water body and for the production of the phytoplankton. The nitrate content of water was recorded in the 14.6 mg/L in the season of summer during study year. The average range of nitrate contents in surface water fluctuated in the 13.3 mg/L in winter season during study year. The minimum values were recorded in the 12.2 mg/L in rainy season during the study period, respectively (Table 1).
DISCUSSION:
Birgunj is a sub-metropolitan city and border town in Parsa District in the Narayani Zone of southern Nepal. It lies 183 km south of the capital Kathmandu, attached to north of the border of the Indian state of Bihar. As an entry point to Nepal from Patna and Kolkata, it is known as the "gateway to Nepal". The town has significant economic importance for Nepal as most of its trade with India is via Birgunj and the Indian town of Raxaul. The present study was carried for the year (2014 to 2015). Four sampling sites namely A, B, C and D were selected after preliminary survey of pond, considering the magnitudes of activities and disturbances. Various physico-chemical and biological factors of water were observed at a seasonal variation to access the existing ecological relationship and to know the pollution load to the pond. The pattern of fluctuation of these parameters vary frequently and effect the biological factors in terms of altering their density, abundance, diversity as well as distribution in space and time. Depth influences the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of the pond water. Water bodies with about two meter depth are considered congenital from the biological productivity point of view. The depth below one meter during summer months at some places of water body effects the survival of fishes and other organisms. During present study, the average maximum depth was recorded 6.62 meters and 8.27 meters at site D and average minimum depth 3.87 meters in summer season and maximum in 6.32 meters in rainy season during the experimental year, respectively. The higher values of average mean depth were recorded in rainy seasons, moderate in winter and minimum in summer seasons. The depth of Chhapakaiya pond, Birganj may be considered good for maximum productivity. Transparency is an important parameter for characterizing water quality. It is an expression of optical property of the sample (water or waste water). The transparency is governed by the quantity of insoluble substances, their size, shape and refractive index, suspended matter, planktons and colloids (Mishra, 2005). The seasonal variations were also observed, the maximum transparency was observed during summer, moderate during winter and lower during rainy seasons. Mishra et al., (1977) had also observed the same results in hirakund reservoir. Temperature is one of the important factors which regulate the physico-chemical process of the entire ecosystem. The mean surface water temperature of Chhapakaiya pond was recorded between 18.8ºC to 26.3ºC during study periods. Seasonal water temperature ranges very much pronounced. The maximum temperature of Chhapakaiya pond, water was observed during summer season, moderate during rainy season and lower during winter season. The variation of water temperature followed the trend of atmospheric temperature. There are several factors which influenced the water temperature in a pond. Some of these are basin morphometry, attitude, topography and vegetation (Mishra, 2005) .The study clearly indicates that the pond water showed homothermal condition and there was no permanent thermocline and fluctuations in temperature lasted for short duration. The short thermal gradient or near homothermal situation had also been recorded by Sreenivasan (1965) and Hussainy (1967). The pH of natural lentic habitat largely governed by the concentration of H+ ions arising from dissociation of H2CO3 and from OH- ions resulting from hydrolysis of bi-carbonates. It is measured to express the intensity of the acid or alkaline condition of a solution or water body. The pH of most natural water falls within the range of 4 to 9. The desirable pH range for drinking water is 6.5 to 8.5. The natural water having pH values in between 6.5 to 9.0, which is most suitable for aquatic organisms. The average range of pH of Chhapakaiya pond varied in between 8.49 to 8.81 during the study period. The seasonal variation was also observed, minimum pH was recorded in winter, moderate in summer and higher during rainy seasons. Ray et al., (1966) recorded the pH range of river Ganga between 7.45 and 8.30. Bilgrami and Datta Munshi (1985) registered the pH range in between 6.40 and 8.20. Bhattacharya and Saha (1997) also recorded the range of pH between 6.70 and 7.20 in Haora river of Tripura. The pH undergo large fluctuations seasonally and also between the stations. During the present study it was observed that the range of pH values was sufficient for the production of zooplankton production as is evident from earlier workers like Alikunhi, (1957); Hora and Pillay (1962); Gupta and Srivastav, (2004); Verma et al., (2005); Banerjee, (2006); Thomas et al., (2007); Manjare et al., 2010 and Sajitha and Vijayamma, (2015). Dissolved oxygen is essential for the respiratory metabolism of organisms. The amount of DO in water is only one fourteenth to one twentieth of that present an equal volume of air when the two are at equilibrium although their partial pressure are the same. The distribution of O2 in the aquatic medium is governed by diffusion from air, photosynthetic activity, chemical and biotic oxidation. As the water warms up its capacity to hold oxygen is reduced. The maximum dissolved oxygen was noted during winter season, moderate in summer season and lowest in rainy season at all sites during the study periods. There was a little variation in the amount of dissolved oxygen in the Chhapakaiya pond Birganj water. Thus, the findings of the present study reveal that the water of that pond has a normal level of dissolved oxygen content. The higher amount of dissolved oxygen in winter was probably due to low temperature and increased phytoplankton density. The fluctuation of free CO2 at all selected site were found to be in the range of 15.4 to 19.2 mg/L (Table 1). The maximum peak was found in the month of rainy season while minimum was in summer season. Nitrates are the end products of the aerobic stabilization of organic nitrogen and occur in trace quantity in water. It is important factor for the fertility of the water body and for the production of the phytoplankton. The minimum values were recorded in the rainy season and maximum value in the summer season during the study periods (Table 1).
CONCLUSION:
The present investigation concludes that the Chhapakaiya pond, water was less polluted. All results are within permissible limit when compared with WHO and ISI. The water from Chhapakaiya pond is good for drinking after normal processing. Chhapakaiya pond may be in danger in year to come due to excessive exploitation of water for irrigation and other purposes.
REFERENCES:
1. APHA (1989): Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water, 17th ed. Washington D.C.
2. Banerjee, S.M. (2006): Water quality and soil condition of fish ponds in some states of India in relation to fish production. Indian Journal of fisheries, 14 (1and2): 115-144.
3. Bilgrami, K.S. and Datta, Munshi, J.S. (1985): Ecology of River Gangas- Patna- Farakka Mab Final Technology Report. PP. 99.
4. Bhattacharya, T. and saha, R.K. (1997): limnological Studies of Haora River in Tripura. Recent Advanced in Ecobiological Research by M.P. Sinha. I (9): 65-73.
5. Dhere, A.M., Pawar, C.B., Pardeshi, P.B. and Patil, D.A., (2008): Municipal solid waste disposal in Pune city- An analysis of air and ground water pollution. Current Science, 95(6): 774-777.
6. Dubey, S., (2013): Analysis of Physico-Chemical Parameters of Kshipra River Water at Ujjain, India. International Research Journal of Environment Sciences, 2(7): 1-4.
7. Fafioye, O.O., Olurin, K.B. and Sowunmi, A.A. (2005): Studies on the physic-chemical parameters of Omi water body of Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria. African Journal of Biotechnology, 4(9): 1022-1024.
8. Garode, A.M., and Sonune, N.A., (2014): Screening and Identification of lipase producing bacteria from Domestic wastewater. Int. J. Pharm Bio Sci., 5 (2): 265 268.
9. Gupta, R. and Srivastava, K.B.L. (2004): Hydro-geographical and physico-chemical studies of water found in the surrounding area of Prism Cement Factory in Satana, M.P. Environ and Pollution Tech., 3(2): 171-174.
10. Hora, S.L. and Pillay, T.V.R. (1962): FAO Fish Biology Technical Paper no. 14.
11. Hussainy, S.U. (1967): Studies on the limnology and primary production of a tropical lake. Hydro-biologia, 30: 335-353.
12. Manjare, S.A., Vhanalakar, S.A. and Muley, D.V. (2010): Analysis of water quality using physico-chemical parameters tamdalge tank in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. International Journal of Adavanced Biotechnology and Research, 1(2): 115-119.
13. Mishra, P.C., Dash, M.C., Kar, G.K. and Das, R.C. (1997): Limnological studies in Hirakund Reservoir: Physico-chemical characteristics, Plankton Density and Diversity of water quality Index. Recent Advanced in Ecobiological Research by M.P. Sinha. I (8): 51-63.
14. Misra, A. (2005): Studies on planktons found in Tons river of Reewa (M.P.). Ph.D. Thesis submitted to A.P.S. University, Reewa (M.P.).
15. NEERI (1986): A course manual of water and waste water analysis. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur – 134.
16. Rathore, D.S., Rai, N., and Ashiya, P. (2014): Physico Chemical Analysis of Water of Ayad River at Udaipur, Rajasthan (India). International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology, 3(4): 11660- 11667.
17. Ray, P., Singh, S.B. and Singh, K.L. (1966): A Study of some aspects of the river Ganga and Yamuna at Allahabad (U.P.) in 1958-1959. Proc. Nat. Acad. Science of India, 36 B(3): 235-272.
18. Sajitha, V. and Vijayamma, S.A. (2016): Study of Physico-Chemical Parameters and Pond Water Quality Assessment by using Water Quality Index at Athiyannoor Panchayath, Kerala, India. Emer. Life Sci. Res., 2(1): 46-51.
19. Sonune, N.A., Mungal, N.A. and Kamble, S.P. (2015): Study of physic-chemical characteristics of domestic wastewater in Vishnupuri, Nanded, India. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 4(1): 533-536.
20. Sreenivasan, A. (1965): Limnology of tropical impoundments III. Limnology and productivity of Amaravathy reservoir (Madras) India. Hydrobiologia, 26(3-4): 501-516.
21. Thomas, M., Deviprasad, A.G. and Hosmani, S.P. (2007): Physico-chemcial parameters and plankton community in the wetlands of Mysore district. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Monit., 17(1): 91-96.
22. Trivedi, R.K. and Goel, P.K. (1984): Chemical and Biological methods for water pollution studies. Env. Publ. Karad, Maharashtra.
23. Verma, R.K., Kapoor, S., Shankar, K. and Tomar, G.T. (2005): Pysico-chemical characteristic of sewage drainage evolution for crop irrigation in the back of chambal river at Dholpur (Rajasthan). Nat. J. Life Science, 2: 297-299.
Received on 04.01.2017 Modified on 08.03.2017
Accepted on 10.04.2017 ©A&V Publications All right reserved
Research J. Science and Tech. 2017; 9(2): 253-258.
DOI: 10.5958/2349-2988.2017.00046.8