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Physico-Chemical Characterization and Impact Assessment of Industrial
Wastes on Fish Fauna of River Patalganga and Dharamtar Creek, Dist
Raigad, Maharashtra, India
Synopsis
Submitted for the Degree of
In
To
By
Mr. Anil R. Patil
NMU/11/Ph.D./Zoology/76/2008
Under the Guidance of
Dr. Prakash S. Lohar
(Senator, NMU, Jalgaon)
(M.Sc., M. Phil., Ph.D.)
P.G. Research Center, Dept of Zoology
M.G.S.M’s Arts, Science and Commerce College
Chopda 425 107 (Dist. Jalgaon)
2011
The present work is an exhaustive attempt to achieve the desire aims related to
(A) study the industrial development in Raigad district of Maharashtra particularly on
the Bank of Patalganga River and Dharamtar creek,
(B) estimate the water quality of these wetlands which are deteriorated by the periodic
discharge of domestic and Industrial wastes form people inhabiting in theses
areas and huge complex of industries called Rasayani, and
(C) assess the impact of industrial waste on fish fauna of Patalganga River and
Dharamtar creek,
As per the desired aims the study protocol was planned and evaluated as follows:
A) Industrialization on the bank of River Patalganga and Dharamtar Creek
Compared to other states in India, Maharashtra is the most industrialized state
playing indispensable role in generating capital and addition to the national income.
The state is also providing employment and thus helping a wider spread of the
benefits of industrialization. The state has much diversified composition of industries,
ranging from textiles, chemicals, plastics, rubber and electronics to fertilizers,
metallurgical, engineering, automobile, shipbuilding and machine tools. Most of these
are situated in the Mumbai - Pune region. It is also interesting to note that
Maharashtra was the first state in India to create specialized industries like the
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), City and Industrial
Development Corporation (CIDCO) and the State Industrial and Investment
Corporation of Maharashtra (SICOM) for focusing of dispersal of industrial
infrastructure and promotion of industries in its backward areas.
There are total 35 districts in Maharashtra and Raigad district is one of them
which is divided into 4 subdivisions namely Alibag, Pen, Panvel and Mahad including
15 tahsils and 1960 villages. Industrially Raigad district was backward as far back in
1960 when there were a few rice mills, three units of the Tatas generating electricity
and one establishment manufacturing ayurvedic medicines. Later on three major
industrial estates were developed by MIDC namely MIDC Patalganga, MIDC
Dhatav-Roha and MIDC Mahad, located in catchments of Patalganga River Basin,
Kundlika River Basin and Savitri River basin respectively.
Patalganga MIDC includes Rasayani which is nothing but a cluster of several
chemical manufacturing and processing companies and India's first Chemicals
industry Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd. (HOCL) was established here in 1960's.
HOCL utilizes raw materials in the form of Benzene, Liquefied Petroleum Gas,
Methanol, Toluene, Naphtha, Hydrogen, Ammonia, Sulphur, Nitric acid, Poly
Urethane Systems, Cumene and Acetic acid. Today Rasayani consists of about 86
industries including significant industries such as
(1) Reliance Industries limited that manufactures nylon and rayon and its
petrochemical division comprises Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), Paraxylene
Plant (PX) and Linear Alkyl Benzene Plant (LAB).
(2) Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) a Govt. of India Enterprise that
manufactures Insecticides (DDT, Monocrotophos, Endosufan, and Malathion),
Herbicides (Butachlor), Weedecides (Trinashi), Fungicides (Mancozeb), and
Acaricide (Dicifol).
(3) Cipla is 2nd largest pharmaceutical company that manufactures Pharmaceuticals,
Animal Health Care Products, OTC, Bulk Drugs, Flavours and Fragrances.
(4) Bakul Aromatics and Chemicals Limited dealing in exporting and manufacturing
of speciality chemicals.
(5) Alkyl Amines Chemicals Limited is a global supplier of amines and amine-based
chemicals to the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, rubber chemical.
(6) Lona Industries Limited, the products of this industry include Copper
Phthalocyanine Pigments, Dyes derived from Phthalocyanines.
(7) Tata Power largest private sector with an installed generation capacity of over
2977 MW. And many other industries.
The Patalganga River is a west-flowing river in the Konkan region of
Maharashtra. It rises in the northern Sahyadri range in Raigad district and flows
north to Khopoli and Khalapur and then on into the Dharamtar creek. The industries
located in the vicinity of River Patalganga including Tata hydro Power, Hindustan
Organics Company, Reliance Industries Ltd. And several others that grouped
together as Rasayani periodically discharged untreated effluent into the river and
caused serious river and creek water pollution. Although there is a Common Effluent
Treatment Plant (CEPT) operated by Patalganga Rasayani Industries’ Association
(PRIA), it was evident that most of the time CEPT was not in operation because of
its unaffordable running cost. Most of the industries pour their effluents directly into
Patalganga River while some have separate pipeline to discharge the effluent near
Kharpada village. These anthropogenic activities resulted in pollution of the precious
water of Patalganga River and Dharamtar creek that requires the systemic study and
suitable monitoring to check its deterioration.
B) Assessment of water quality of Patalganga River and Dharamtar creek
Every living being needs water for the existence. The available fresh water to
man is hardly 0.3 to 0.5% of the total water available on the earth and therefore its
judicious use is imperative. In today’s scenario, unplanned urbanization, rapid
industrialization and indiscriminate use of artificial chemicals cause of heavy and
varied pollution in aquatic environments leading to deterioration of water quality and
depletion of aquatic fauna including fish. Without the knowledge of water chemistry,
it is difficult to understand the biological phenomenon fully, because the chemistry
of water reveals much about metabolism of the ecosystem and explains the general
hydrobiological interrelationship.
Rapid industrialization in the Raigad district particularly in the vicinity of
Patalganga River and Dharamtar creek resulted in serious aquatic due to long term
discharge of untreated domestic and industrial wastewaters. The study of
physicochemical properties of Patalganga river and Dharamtar creek was the need of
hour and hence in the present part of investigation a systematic study of 17
hydrological features were estimated during June 2008 to May 2010 by establishing 4
sampling stations at Khopoli, Washivali, Apta, Kharpada and Dharamtar Creek by
collecting water samples on quarterly basis viz. monsoon, post monsoon, winter and
summer season. The result of each water quality parameter is expressed as Mean ±
Standard Deviation of 6 observations at each sampling stations
Temperature and dissolved oxygen:
At all 5 sampling stations, Atmospheric temperature shown fluctuations
between 22.8±0.90C to 33.0±0.80C and overall the surface water temperature varied
from 21.8±0.60C to 28.7±1.20C during the study period. Seasonal variations were
observed in water temperature in correlation with atmospheric temperature. There was
deviation from normal water temperature near the Kharpada sampling station because
of the discharge of heated effluents brought about thermal changes in natural waters.
Temperature significantly contributes its effect in chemical and biological reactions in
water. Since rises in temperature of water accelerates chemical reactions, reduce
solubility of gases, amplifies taste and odour, and elevates metabolic activity of
organisms.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in water samples collected at all 5 sampling stations
shown fluctuations from minimum 1.65±0.11 to maximum 8.2±0.2 mg/liter during
June 2008 to May 2010. It was observed that concentration of DO is inversely
proportional to temperature at a given time. This was true for all water samples except
the samples collected from Kharpada sampling station because DO in water at this
sampling site was always depleted from the normal values in spite of the correlative
changes in surface water temperature and DO. Intermittent discharge of industrial
effluent in the river water containing severely reduced DO and as a result caused fish
and other aquatic animals were unable to survive.
Electrical conductivity (EC) and pH:
EC of water was found directly proportional to the dissolved minerals at a
given time and at a given sampling site. EC was fluctuated from minimum 450 ±8.21
micro mhos/cm to maximum 980 ± 9.44 micro mhos/cm during the study period. The
higher EC at Kharpada sampling site might be correlated with presence large quantity
of dissolved minerals came with the industrial effluents.
The pH is the scale of intensity of acidity and alkalinity of water and serves as
an index for pollution. The estimated values of pH of sample water ranged from
minimum 5.6 ±0.2 at Kharpada site to maximum 8.3±0.6 at Washivali sampling
station during the study period. Minimum values of pH indicated presence of acidic
industrial effluents while maximum pH might be correlated to monsoon input in the
river. In the present part of investigation, the range of pH was optimum as per
standards of WHO suitable for the aquaculture practices in the stretch of river
between Khopoli to Kharpada but downstream of river from Kharpada to Dharamtar
creek the pH was unsuitable for fish to sustain.
Transparency, Turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Hardness:
Seasonal variations in transparency using Sacchi disc were observed during
the study period at all five sampling sites and was ranged from minimum 0.22±0.05 m
at Kharpada sampling site because of the frequent release of industrial effluents that
caused drastic change in the transparency and maximum 0.76±0.05m Dharamtar creek
during summer seasons of the both study years that might be due to ability of
estuarine water to dilute the influx of polluted Patalganga river water. Over all, in
monsoon season low values of transparency were recorded due to heavy rainfall and
surface run off in river water, in addition to suspended matter like dust, silt and plant
material.
Turbidity is the measure of the light scattered by the particles present in the
sample. Seasonally correlated variations in the turbidity values (2.65 ±0.3NTU to5.3
±0.3NTU) were observed at Khopoli, Washivali and Apta. But wide fluctuations in
the turbidity values (7.8 ±0.7NTU to 16.7±1.6NTU) were recorded through out the
course of study at Kharpada sampling station and the situation might be due to the
presence of interfering substances in the water samples that were came along with
different pollutants released by Rasayani.
TDS refers to solid matter dissolved in water. Most of the salts and a variety of
organic substances are soluble in water. Thus, the water sample containing
appreciable quantity of dissolved solids normally confers a degree of hardness to it.
There were seasonal variations in TDS values in water samples from minimum
139.4±12.5 mg/liter at Washivali site to maximum 330.7±26.4 mg/liter at Apta site.
But wide deviation from these figure were recorded at Kharpada site (620.8±38.9 to
870.5±56.5mg/liter). TDS values were higher during in summer season and lower
during monsoon and post monsoon seasons during study period.
Hardness is a measure of the quality of water that is due to calcium,
magnesium, carbonate and bicarbonates well as due to presence of sulphates and
chlorides. Harness of water samples at all 5 sites varied according to season i.e. higher
values during summer season due to decrease in water volume and increases in the
rate of evaporation at high temperature and minimum hardness in monsoon might be
due to heavy rainfall. The high values of total hardness at Kharpada sampling station
can be directly linked to high pollution load at this area.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD):
BOD represents the quantity of oxygen required by bacteria and other
microorganisms during biochemical degradation. In general, open water bodies
having BOD value of more than 30 mg/liter are considered to be polluted. On the
basis of BOD values (6.7±0.6 to 10.5 ±0.8 mg/liter) estimated in water samples
collected at Khopoli, Washivali and Apta indicated sustainable quality of water.
Whereas the BOD values shown wide fluctuations from minimum 38.9±3.7 to
maximum 50.8 ±5.7mg/liter at Kharpada site on the bank of Patalganga River and
Dharamtar creek indicating the presence of tremendous load of domestic sewage and
untreated industrial effluents.
COD determines the oxygen required for chemical oxidation of organic matter
with the help of strong chemical oxidant. COD values varied from 39.8±3.5 to
78.9±6.7 mg/liter at sampling stations at Khopoli, Washivali and Apta while at
Kharpada and Dharamtar creek, COD values shown tremendous variations
(134.8±14.5 to286.7±23.7mg/liter) and indicated presence of ample quantity of
chemically oxidisable organic matter in the water that were along with domestic
sewage and untreated industrial effluent.
Total Alkalinity:
Total alkalinity of the Patalganga river water widely fluctuated between
21.0±2.2 to 89.9±6.9 mg/liter during the study period. The lowest alkalinity values are
recorded during summer and higher in monsoon. Compared to the total alkalinity of
water samples collected from Khopoli, Washivali and Apta sites, it was found that the
bicarbonate alkalinity at Kharpada sampling station was lower than carbonate
alkalinity during summer seasons of both years. And at the same time comparatively
lower values of total alkalinity at Kharpada were recorded during the study period, the
situation might be due to huge influx of industrial effluent having acidic nature. The
higher carbonate contents of water at sampling stations Khopoli, Washivali, Apta and
Dharamtar creek might be due to the constant accumulation of carbonate salt from the
surroundings.
Phosphorus (Phosphate/ PO4) and Sulphates (SO4):
The phosphate content of water samples collected from sampling stations
Khopoli, Washivali and Apta were fluctuated between 0.95±0.07 to 1.92 ±0.05 mg/l
whereas for water samples collected from Kharpada and Dharamtar creek shown
tremendous deviation between minimum 2.6±0.12 to maximum 5.8±0.67 indicating
presence of phosphate that might have been added through with industrial discharge
into Patalganga river that merges into Arabian sea through Dharamtar creek. And
these values were higher than the standard permissible limit (0.05 mg/liter) and
indicated extent of pollution in Patalganga River and Dharamtar creek.
Sulphate values showed marked seasonal fluctuations in their values in
the stretch of river from Khopoli to Apta during study period and varied from
minimum 65.3±5.8 to maximum 105.5±9.3 mg/l. Whereas 134.9±11.6 to 178.9±12.5
mg/liter were the values of sulphate contents of water samples collected during study
period from Kharpada and Dharamtar creek and this difference in the water. Presence
of high amount of sulphates created anoxic or anaerobic condition for aquatic biota.
Chloride (Cl), Magnesium (Mg) and Nitrates (as NO3):
Seasonal variations in chloride content of water samples collected from three
sampling sites (Khopoli, Washivali and Apta) during the study period recorded from
minimum 26.8±1.8 to 69.9±6.5 mg/liter. Compared to these values, higher chloride
content was found at Kharpada and highest chloride values were Dharamtar creek,
simply because of the estuarine salinity. Lower values of chloride in monsoon might
be due to dilution of river water and its rapid flow, while high values in river
Patalganga might be due to reduced flow of water, increased evaporation of river
water with consequent concentration of dissolved salts and ions, large amount of
domestic sewage and industrial effluents.
Magnesium content remained comparatively high during monsoon (78.2±6.7
and 81.3±6.7 mg/liter at Apta and 93.9±10.3 and 104.7±9.2mg/liter at Kharpada)
which might be due to increased leaching of rocks in the catchment area of Patalganga
River in that specific season in addition to frequent release of untreated effluent in the
river water.
Water contaminated with decomposing organic matter releases ammonia
which can be converted to nitrate. Nitrate content in the water samples collected from
sampling stations Khopoli, Washivali, Apta and Dharamtar creek shown seasonal
specific trends during study period. Compared to these sampling sites the water
collected at Kharpada shown highest Nitrate content (98.6±8.5mg/liter during
monsoon 2008 and 131.2±10.4mg/liter during monsoon 2009) because of the
presence of huge quantity of untreated industrial effluents that were periodically
discharged by Rasayani.
Present part of investigation indicated that the most of the values of
physicochemical parameters in water of Patalganga River were exceeded the desirable
limit according to BIS and APHA specifications and hence there is tremendous
pollution in Patalganga that made the water unfit for drinking and irrigation. The
continued anthropogenic activities in the study area worsening the situation day by
day and hence various agencies along with public participation must take urgent steps
to protect and conserve these precious natural resources.
c) Impact assessment of industrial wastes on fish fauna in Patalganga River and
Dharamtar creek
Aquatic animals including molluscs, crustaceans and fishes have important
place in human diet because of their richness in protein, minerals like calcium,
phosphorous and iron and vitamins A and D. Fish forms highest species diversity
among all vertebral groups apart from its economic importance. Habitat loss and
environmental degradation coupled with unprecedented population growth and rapid
industrialization have seriously affected fish diversity.
Estimated values of various physicochemical parameters and ecological
observations recorded during June 2008 to May 2010 at five sampling sites, four on
the bank of River Patalganga (Khopoli, Washivali, Apta and Kharpada) and one at
Dharamtar creek indicated that the river carried huge load of industrial effluents from
Kharpada site to Dharamtar creek. The stretch of river from Khopoli to Kharpada was
able to harbor the considerable number of fish species and some of the fish species
were found in the Dharamtar creek. The systemic position of fish fauna including
their order, family, genus and species are given in Table no.1. The order
Cypriniformes included family that Cyprinidae with 8 fish species and family
Claridae with single fish species. The order Siluriformes includes single family
Siluridae that contained 2 species. The order Mastacembeleformes included a family
with a single fish species. The order Ophiocephaliformes included Channidae with
single fish species. The fish order Clupeiformes and Perciformes were
dominantly found in the fish catches made at Dharamtar creek. Both fish orders
included 5 and 6 fish species respectively. Thus in all there were 25 fish species found
in Patalganga river water as well as in Dharamtar creek. The occurrence of few fish
species was abundant, some were moderately found, and some were rare while some
fish species were extremely rare. The environmental stress created due to pollution
load in study area was so intolerable that few fish species like Punitus sophore,
Cirrhina mrigala, Ompok bimaculatus, Wallago attu, Channa punctatus Sardinella
longiceps shown moderate appearance in fish catches during 2008-09 but they
became rare during 2009-10. Similarly Tenualosa ilisha, Dussumieria
elopsoides, Stolephorus indicus and Dussumieria elopsoides which were found rare
in fish catches made during 2008-09 they became extremely rare during 2009-10.
The industrial waste and domestic sewage containing notorious chemicals
deteriorating the water quality and threatening the aquatic life of Patalganga River and
Dharamtar creek. Chronic exposure to these chemicals severely affected fish and
increased susceptibility to disease and jeopardize their normal life. During assessment
of impact of industrial waste on fish in study area, it was found that major carps
including Labeo and Catla were suffered from discoloration, abdominal dropsy, gill
infection exophthalmia, skin ulceration, skin infection, red disease and Epizootic
Ulcerative Syndrome. In all, there was qualitative and quantitative loss of fish
diversity from the study area under the impact of huge industrial effluents that were
discharged intentionally in the river Patalganga and carried to Dharamtar creek. The
quantitative loss of fish fauna became serious when there were several incidences of
mass kill of fish in polluted waters of Patalganga and Dharamtar creek.
Table 4.1: Fish fauna of Patalganga river and Dharamtar creek during the period June
2008 to May 2010.
Sr
.
No
Order Family Species
1 Cypriniformes Cyprinidae
Labeo rohita (Ham–Buch)
Catla catla (Ham-Buch)
Cyprinus carpio carpio (Linn)
Punitus sarana orphoides (Val.)
Punitus sophore (Ham–Buch)
Cirrhina mrigala (Ham–Buch)
Amblypharyngodon mola (Ham-
Buch)
Tor tor (Ham.)
Claridae Clarius batrachus (Linn.)
2 Siluriformes Siluridae Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch)
Wallago attu (Bloch and Schneider)
3 Mastacembeleformes Mastacembelidae Mastacembetus armatus (Lacepede)
4 Ophiocephaliformes Channidae Channa punctatus (Bloch)
5 Osteoglossiformes Notopteridae Notopteru chitala (Pallas)
6Clupeiformes*Clupeidae
Dussumieria elopsoides
(Bleeker)
Tenualosa ilisha (Hamilton)
Sardinella longiceps
(Valenciennes)
Stolephorus indicus (Van
Hasselt)
Hilsa kelee (Cuvier)
7Perciformes*
Sciaenidae Johnius dussumieri (Cuvier)
Scombridae
Rastrelliger kanagurta
(Cuvier)
Katsuwonus pelamis
(Linnaeus)
Gobiidae
Glossogobius giuris (Ham-Buch)
Periophthalmodon schlosseri
(Pallas)
Stromateidae Pampus argenteus
(Euphrasen)
*Fish species belonging to orders Clupeiformes and Perciformes captured at
Dharamtar Creek
The deteriorating quality of water severely affected the biodiversity of fish in
River Patalganga and Dharamtar creek. The regional biodiversity of fish and precious
natural resources can be protected by implementing strict legal actions against those
industries which are established on the bank of Patalganga River and intentionally
release the untreated industrial wastes and also to those municipal councils and Gram
Panchayats which directly pour their domestic waste without any pretreatment. In
addition to public participation, governmental and nongovernmental agencies must
perform immediate actions in protecting and conserving the precious fauna and flora
in general and fish diversity in particular of study area. The monitoring of threatened
fish species can be done with help of Geographical Information System and Global
Positioning System.