Feb-Apr.2012, Vol.2.No.2, 1102-1106 e- ISSN: 2249 –1929

Journal of Chemical, Biological and Physical Sciences

An International Peer Review E-3 Journal of Sciences Available online at www.jcbsc.org Section D: Environment Sciences CODEN (USA): JCBPAT

Research Article

Seasonal analysis of Physico-Chemical parameters of water in Fish industrial area, Chinnamuttom *P.A. Mary Helen, I.H. Belsha Jaya Edith, S. Jaya Sree and R. J. Shalini Jose Department of Biotechnology, Malankara Catholic College, Mariagiri,Kaliakkavilai – 629153. District , Received: 28 February 2012; Revised: 21 March; Accepted: 30 March 2012

ABSTRACT The present study was designed to demonstrate the seasonal variations in physico-chemical parameters water samples from fish industrial area in Chinnamuttom near Kanyakumari. Water samples were collected in three different seasons. Water samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters including pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, total - - 2- 2- hardness, dissolved oxygen, BOD, COD and anions analyzed were Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, No 3 , No 2 , So 4 , Po 4 , F - and Cl -. The data showed variation of the investigated parameters in samples as follows: pH 6.69 – - - - 7.33, electrical conductivity 2573 - 3980micS/cm, F , 0.2 – 0.6mg/L; No 3 , 4 – 10 mg/L; No 2 , 0.70 - 1.22 mg/L; The concentrations of most of the investigated parameters in the water sample from fish industrial area in Chinnamuttom river were exceeded the permissible limit of WHO and CPHEEO water quality guidelines.

Keywords: Seasonal variations, Physico-chemical, fish industrial, WHO, CPHEEO.

INTRODUCTION The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products. The environment is polluted with an increasingly wide range of organic chemicals that have been released into the air, water and soil by various human activities. Fish industry caused by pollution. Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, ground water) such water which ultimately ends up in our house-holds in often highly contaminated and carries disease causing microbes. Water pollution is a major problem in the global context. It has been suggested that it is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily 1. Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic contaminants and either does not support a human use, like serving as drinking water, and undergoes a marked shift in its ability

1102 J. Chem. Bio. Phy. Sci. Sec. A 2012, Vol.2, N0.2, 1102-1106 Seasonal...... P.A. Mary Helen et al . to support its constituent biotic communities, such as fish 2 .Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water 3. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance can be assessed. The most common standards used to assess water quality relate to drinking water, safety of human contact and for the health of ecosystems. Environmental water quality, also called ambient water quality, relates to water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. Water quality standards vary significantly due to different environmental conditions, ecosystems, and intended human uses Modern water quality laws general specify protection of fisheries and recreational use and require as a minimum, retention of current quality standards. The complexity of water quality as a subject is reflected in the many types of measurements of water quality indicators. When gasoline is in contact with water, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and the xylene isomers account for as much as 90% of the gasoline components that are found in the water-soluble fraction, consequently, these chemicals are some of the most common contaminants found in drinking water. Xylene isomers are toxic to humans, and their removal from polluted environments is of special interest 4 . A variety of water quality parameters were monitored in enclosures for the polyculture of penaeid shrimp with tilapia and constricted tagelus. The result showed that the environment of the polyculture systems was better than that of monoculture one. The fluctuation of DO in the water of polyculture enclosures was less violent, and their lowest values were obviously higher than those in monoculture ones. The value of COD and the number of bacteria in the water of polyculture enclosures were significantly lower than those in monoculture ones (t-test, alpha < 0.05), showing that the amount of organic matter in the water of polyculture systems was less than that in monoculture one. The biomass of plankton and the concentration of chlorophyll-a in the polyculture enclosures were also lower, showing that the suppression of the filtering animals to the plankton was obvious. The accumulation of N and P in the sediment of polyculture enclosures was 39.76% and 51.26%, lower than those of monoculture ones, respectively; and the number of bacteria in the sediment was 7.63% lower. Therefore, it is obvious that closed culture system can greatly decrease the effluent to the coastal waters caused by the pond culture industry, and decrease the pollution to the coastal waters 5. The occurrence of fungi in drinking water has received increased attention in the last decades, and fungi are now generally accepted as drinking water contaminants. The knowledge about the occurrence and diversity of fungi in water has increased considerably from a low knowledge base. However, the relevance of waterborne fungi for water quality and human health is poorly understood and still conflicting 6. In the present study, Water quality analysis was carried out in three different seasons (north east monsoon, intermediate season and dry season) from fish industrial area in Chinnamuttom river. EXPERIMENTAL Samples were collected in three different seasons (north east monsoon, intermediate season and dry season) September 2009 – March 2010 from fish industrial area in Chinnamuttom, Kanyakumari district, , South India. Water samples were tested for different physico-chemical parameters. Physical analysis: The appearance and odour of the water sample was noted by the colour, turbid and smell in sample. Turbidity was analyzed by Turbidity Meter tubes. Electrical conductivity was measured by conductivity meter.

Chemical analysis: The physico-chemical parameter such as pH, alkalinity, phosphate (PO 4-P), nitrite 7, 8 (NO 2-N), nitrate (NO 3-N) were measured according to the standard procedures . Flame photometer (Model Systronic 128) was used for determination of metal ions Na +, K + and Ca 2+. Silver nitrate method was used to estimate the chloride present in water samples. Sulphate was determined by turbidimetric method. Total hardness was calculated by complexometric titration using EDTA 9. Magnesium content can be determined from the value of total hardness and calcium hardness of water. Ammonia was determined by direct nesslerisation method. Fluoride was determined by Zirconyl-Alizarin method. A water characteristic of dissolved oxygen (DO) was estimated Winkler’s methods and Sulphide 10 . BOD 1103 J. Chem. Bio. Phy. Sci. Sec. D, 2012, Vol.2, N o.2,1102 -1106 Seasonal...... P.A. Mary Helen et al . determination was based on the dissolved measurement. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) were estimated according to the procedure of Vogel 9. RESULT AND DISCUSSION Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. In this study analysis of water quality in different seasons was carried out to determine the seasonal variation of physical and chemical characteristics of water. The results were listed in table no-1. Table No- 1: Water Quality Analysis:

North east Intermediate Sl: monsoon Dry Season Parameters Season No (September) (March) (January)

I PHYSICAL EXAMINATION 1 Appearance Brownish Brownish Brownish

2 Odour H2S Algae Algae 3 Turbidity NT units 58 58 51 4 Total dissolved solids mg/L 2706 1750 2227 5 Electrical conductivity micS/cm 3980 2573 2573 II CHEMICAL EXAMINATION 6 pH 6.69 6.9 7.33

7 Alkalinity -Ph as CaCO 3 0 0 0 8 AlkalinityTotal as CaCO 3 804 356 376 9 Total Hardness as CaCO 3 920 600 980 10 Calcium as Ca 224 168 300 11 Magnesium as Mg 86 43 55 12 Sodium as Na 365 243 335 13 Potassium as K 115 45 66 14 Iron Total as Fe 2.71 3.06 1.41 15 Manganese as Mn 0.67 0.67 0.33

16 Free Ammonia as NH 3 8.85 7.69 6.15 17 Nitrite as NO 2 1.22 0.30 0.70 18 Nitrate as NO 3 4 10 10 19 Chloride as Cl 650 620 800 20 Fluoride as F 0.2 0.6 0.2

21 Sulphate as SO 4 103 27 40 22 Phosphate as PO 4 2 4.20 5.80 23 Tidy’s Test 4hrs as O 2 7.20 12.60 12.10 24 Dissolved Oxygen 0.00 4.10 5.10 25 BOD 21 36 36 26 COD 58 106 108

The appearance of the water was brownish and it shows algae and H 2S odour. Turbidity was in the range from 51 to 58NTU, total dissolved solids (1750 to 2706mg/L), electrical conductivity (2573 to 3980micS/cm). The obtained value of turbidity and total dissolved solids exceeds the highest desirable and maximum permissible limit of WHO standards. pH was in the range 6.69 to 7.33 and it was in the maximum permissible limit. The agricultural activities of the area where the samples were taken did not alter the pH of the water samples. Water has been

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11 classified on the basis of hardness as follows . Water having 0 mg CaCO 3 L-1 as soft, 356-804mg -1 -1 CaCO 3L as hard while samples having total hardness of over 300mg CaCO 3L was hard. The water samples used in the study showed that total hardness in the range from 600 to 980 CaCo 3 mg/L. Based on these, the water samples in this study fell under hard water. Hardness level exceeds the desirable and permissible limit of WHO. The total concentration of divalent metal ions (primarily Ca and Mg) -1 expressed in mgL of equivalent CaCO 3 is termed total hardness of water. Mg and Ca were in the range of 168 to 300mg L -1 and 43to 86mgL -1 respectively. These metals fell within the maximum acceptable limit by WHO. The presence of appreciable concentration of Ca and Mg were consistent with the level of hardness because higher values of Ca and Mg were consistent with total hardness. Sodium level was in the range from 243 - 365mg/L, potassium (45-115mg/L). CPHEEO standard desirable limit of iron was 0.1 and the permissible limit was 1, but the observed value was in the range from 1.41 – 3.06mg/L. Mn level in water sample was 0.33 – 0.67mg/L, NH 3 (6015 –

8.85mg/L) and the nitrite NO 2 level was (0.30 – 1.22mg/L). Chloride was in the range of 620– 800mg/L which exceeds the desirable level (200mg/L) and permissible limit (600mg/L) of WHO. Chlorides are relatively harmless to organisms except when converted to Cl 2, ClO-and ClO 3-which are toxic. High chloride content impacts taste and could cause corrosion 12 . Dissolved oxygen ranged from 4.10 – 5.10mg L-1. The nitrate values ranged between 3 and 12mg L -1 not exceeded the desirable and permissible limit (45mg/L) of WHO. The results showed that all samples have low nitrate values. Nitrate in natural waters can be traced to percolating nitrate from sources such as decaying plant and animal materials, agricultural fertilizers, domestic sewage 11. A nitrate content of more than 100mg L -1 impact bitter taste to water and may cause physiological problem. High nitrate causes the overgrowth of algae, other organism and fouls the water system. High nitrate level in drinking water supplies represents a significant risk to human health, as they are directly responsible for methemoglobinemia in infants 13. Epidemiological studies have predicted association between exposures to nitrate and gastric cancer because of the reaction of nitrate with amine in diet forming carcinogenic nitrosomoamines. Fluoride and sulphate level was in the range of (0.2 – 0.6mg/L) and (27 -103mg/L). Based on the CPHEEO standard the fluoride desirable level should be 1 and the standard permissible limit 1.5mg/L. WHO standards showed highest desirable limit of sulphate 200 and the maximum permissible limit should be 400mg/L. Phosphate content was in the range of 2 –

5.80mg/L, tidy’s test 4hrs as O 2 (7.20–12.60mg/L), dissolved oxygen (4.10 – 5.10mg/L) and COD (58– 108mg/L). WHO highest desirable limit was 1.3mg/L but the observed value exceeds limit to 15 – 36mg/L. There was no visible floating in the water sample indicating absence of oil and grease. CONCLUSION Water quality standards vary significantly due to different environmental conditions, ecosystem. The variation observed were probably due to various factors such as trace metal contents of all the soil and crops, geographical location, fertilizers and fungicides applied in the area, environmental pollutions and other agricultural activities. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We are grateful to staff members of Biotechnology Department, Malankara Catholic College for their encouragement throughout this work. We are also thankful to Rev. Fr. Prem Kumar, Correspondent and Secretary, Malankara Catholic College, Mariagiri for his constant encouragement and support. REFERENCES

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9. A. I. Vogel, A text book of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis Including Elementary Instrumental Analysis the English Language Book Society and Langman. Co.1978. 10. J. D. H. Strickland and T. R. Parsons, A Practical hand book of seawater analysis, Bulletin Fisheries Research Board Canada, 1972. 11. E. I. Adeyeye and F. O. Abulude, J. Chem. Soc. Nig., 2004, 29 , 98. 12. WHO, Guidelines for drinking water quality, Vol.2. Health Criteria and other supporting information, Genera, 1990. 13. F. S. Bruning and J. B. Kaneene, Vet Hum Toxicol., 1993, 35 , 521.

*Correspondence Author: P.A. Mary Helen:Department of Biotechnology, Malankara Catholic College, Mariagiri, Kaliakkavilai – 629153. Kanyakumari District, ,

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