Affiliations: Department of Chemical Engineering, Heritage Institute
of Technology, Kolkata-700107 | Department of Chemical Engineering, Jadavpur
University, Kolkata-700032. [email protected]
Note: [] Corresponding Author
Abstract: The Hoogly River in the Gangetic delta plays a fundamental role in
local society, as a source of irrigation and drinking water and as a sink for
urban waste water. In order to analyze spatial and temporal variability of the
overall water quality of the watershed Water Quality Index (WQI) by aggregative
and multiplicative methods were calculated from eight physico-chemical
parameter taking water samples from six different locations in and around
Kolkata throughout a year during both high tide and low tide conditions.
Seasonally, it was found that water quality decreases from winter to summer but
it improves during monsoon. Depending on the location, different parameters
like BOD, COD, DO, Conductivity etc. were responsible for the episodic
fluctuation of water quality. The study reveals that the tributaries like
Damodar, Roopnaryan and urban waste water discharge jointly contribute to the
appreciable content of toxic metal in the bottom sediment of Hoogly River.
Keywords: Gangetic delta, Water Quality Index (WQI), physico-chemical parameter, heavy metal, urban waste water, high tide, low tide
