Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution - Volume 8, issue 2

Authors: Okojie, L.O. | Akinwumi, J.A.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper investigates the economic valuation of alternative uses of rainforest land using the contingent valuation approach. Multi-stage sampling technique was used in the collection of the 260 respondents in the data from the four Ogun State Agricultural Development zones used for the study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the dichotomous-choice contingent valuation method that terminated into the logit model. Food crop cultivation accounted for 66.4% of deforestation. The households …yearly willingness to pay/hectare (WTP/ha) for rainforest protection was N16,186.76. This translated to N0.60 billion for the average 36,817.62 hectares/year deforested for food crop cultivation. The key determinants of the likelihood to pay for rainforest protection were the bid, rainforest visitation, and immigrant status that had the coefficient of −0.0074, −0.11 and −0.71, and were significant (p<0.01) for bid and (p<0.05) for the others. In addition were the income, educational status and food crop producer status that had the coefficients of 0.13, 0.0063 and 0.00012 and were significant (p<0.01). Lower cost of rainforest protection as indicated by the WTP would lead to further deforestation and the consequent environmental impacts for a long time. There is therefore the urgent need for environmental sensitization through education to arrest deforestation. Show more

Keywords: Willingness to pay, bid, rainforest protection, environmental service functions, agro forestry

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 83-92, 2011

Authors: Kumar, A. Yudhistra | Reddy, M. Vikram

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Temporal effects of treated and untreated municipal sewage on the cations – calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), hardness, sodium (Na) and potassium (K), and anions – chlorides (Cl^- ), bicarbonates (HCO_3^- ), carbonates (CO_3^{2-} ) and alkalinity of surface water of the Buckingham canal were monitored across different seasons during premonsoon 2005 to post-monsoon – 2006 at Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu) located on the east coast of Indian peninsula. The concentrations …of each of the cations and anions were higher in the untreated sewage input zone than that of the treated sewage input zone, and at the downstream higher than that of the upstream of the outfall points of both the untreated as well as treated sewage, of the canal. These parameters except K and alkalinity were higher in concentrations during summer while all the cations and the anions were lower during monsoon. The concentrations of K and alkalinity were higher during winter. Cluster analysis based on the similarities of the cations and anions applied to the six sampling points of the canal, grouped them into two clusters, one showing higher pollution level and the other lower pollution levels of water. Show more

Keywords: Activated sludge treatment, up-stream and down-stream of canal, water quality parameters, Cluster analysis

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 93-104, 2011

Authors: Lokhande, P.B. | Mujawar, H.A.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: An attempt was made to study the physico-chemical parameters of Savitri river water using multivariate statistical techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis. In this study, data of 26 water quality parameters for six sampling locations were analyzed during monsoon, winter and summer season of June, 2004 to May, 2007. Scree plots for the eigenvalues obtained in this study shows pronounced seasonal change in slope. Water Quality Index (WQI) values were …found to be increasing during the seasons and indicate the deterioration of water quality in summer season. Cluster analysis demonstrates that the surface water character changes significantly with seasons. Show more

Keywords: Principal component analysis, cluster analysis, water quality index

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 105-112, 2011

Authors: Sundaray, Sanjay Kumar | Nayak, Binod Bihari | Bhatta, Dinabandhu

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Water Quality Index (WQI) plays an important role in interpreting the information on water quality trends of a water body and was used to denote degradation of river water quality. WQI technique was applied for the classification of Mahanadi river-estuarine waters with respect to three major use purposes. WQI representing importance of the variables was studied with respect to suitability of river water for drinking, aquatic lives and irrigation purposes for 31 different stations of the …river during six different seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon and post monsoon during 2001–02 and 2002–03). In the formulation of a WQI, the importance of various parameters (pH, EC (electrical conductance), DO (dissolved oxygen), BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), TDS (total dissolved solids), turbidity, SO4, chloride, nitrate, sodium, calcium, magnesium, alkalinity and hardness) depends on the intend use of water. The results of different WQI produce similar trend but different index values as well as some different remarks. The present study reveals that the water quality of Atherbanki creek irrespective of seasons, is quite unsuitable for all the three purposes, which may be due to the combined impact of municipal effluent from Paradip township, industrial effluents from industries like PPL** and also saline influence. The application of a WQI to the Mahanadi river allows a water quality classification both spatial and temporally, that is reproducible within the river by means of uniform, objective criteria. Such an approach permits the identification of stretches of river that may require urgent measures in order to restore minimal water quality uses for different purposes, and can be applied beyond the Mahanadi river. From the present observation, it can be concluded that three major townships (Sambalpur, Cuttack and Paradip) in the basin produce negative impact on the Mahanadi river water quality, particularly serious after the city sewage discharge. Effective pollution control measures must be taken in the near future. Show more

Keywords: WQI, drinking, irrigation, aquatic lives, Mahanadi river, India

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 113-125, 2011

Authors: Chaudhari, Ketaki | Bhatt, Vaidehi | Bhargava, Arpit | Seshadri, Sriram

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In recent times, control of pollution has been a major concern. Textile dyes which are important organic compounds are also significant industrial pollutants. Textile dyes are commonly xenobiotic in nature and are not degraded easily by biological systems. Currently the treatment of textile waste water for remediation of recalcitrant dyes is based on either physical, chemical and biological treatment. Each process has its own advantages as well as disadvantages and therefore various combinations have been tried …to achieve efficient, eco-friendly and economic treatment of textile waste water. The present review is an attempt to summarise the three treatments and the possible combination in use. We have also proposed alternatives comprising of adsorption, chemical oxidation and biodegradation process. The proposed combination system involves use of pre treated sugarcane bagasse for adsorption of dyes followed by treatment of dyes with Fenton reagent for chemical oxidation which can then be easily biodegraded with suitable micro organisms under aerobic conditions. Show more

Keywords: Bagasse based adsorption, Fenton treatment, biodegradation, combinational method, reactive black 5

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 127-136, 2011

Authors: Shashi, A | Bhardwaj, M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: An epidemiological survey was conducted to evaluate the quality of groundwater in 17 villages of Moga district of Punjab, India. Drinking water samples were taken from hand pump, tap and tube wells situated in different localities of the district, for physicochemical analysis. The water quality parameters such as pH, total alkalinity, total hardness, total dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, chloride, iron electric conductance, and fluoride were measured by using standard methods. The fluoride concentration level in …the drinking water of these villages ranged from 0.09 to 10.5 mg/l. The concentration of calcium, magnesium and chloride varied from 8 to 80 mg/l, 9 to 75 mg/l and 22 to 198 mg/l. The values of total hardness and alkalinity ranged from 60 to 290 and 390 to 786 mg/l. Fluoride concentration exhibited significant (p<0.05) positive correlation to pH and total alkalinity and negative correlation to total hardness, calcium and magnesium. Statistical analysis of data revealed significant impact of fluoride on the physicochemical parameters of drinking water samples studied under present investigation. Show more

Keywords: Groundwater, fluoride, electric conductance, alkalinity, calcium

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 137-142, 2011

Authors: James, T.J. | Roshini, M.D. | Subramanian, Manju V.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Periyar, one of the major rivers of Kerala state passes through the highly polluted industrial area, Eloor and Chitrapuzha region. Heavy metal pollution is one of the major problems of the water pollution in this region. Heavy metals are vigorous oxidizing agents and thus are highly bound to biochemical inability of tissues and thus affect fishes. The main objective of the study was to check whether the heavy metals have targeted the most vitally …protected tissue – the brain and to analyse the increasing tendency of heavy metal accumulation with age in fishes. The study area includes the highly polluted Eloor and Chitraphuzha area, nearly 11 kms away from Kochi. The Fish, Gobius malabaricus, belonging to the family Gobidae were collected, weighed and grouped. Fishes were dissected for brain tissue, weighed, homogenized and heavy metals were detected using ICPAES (Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer). The study showed heavy metal accumulation in the order Copper ⩾ Manganese ⩾ Zinc (0.55 ppm). Cadmium and Chromium were found below detection limit. The greatest accumulation of heavy metals was found in the brain of older fishes. Accumulation of heavy metals even in the brain of fishes, thus, indicates the extent of heavy metal pollution in the industrial area. Show more

Keywords: Heavy metal, brain, Gobius malabaricus

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 143-146, 2011

Article Type: Other

Citation: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 147-150, 2011