Paper Title
Assessment Of Heavy Metal Contents In Surface Water-Bodies (Lakes)
Abstract
The pollution of the aquatic environment
with heavy metals has become a worldwide problem
during recent years, because they are indestructible
and most of them have toxic effects on organisms.
Food chain contamination by heavy metals has
become a burning issue in recent years because of
their potential accumulation in bio-system through
contaminated water, soil, sediment and air. Hence in
the present investigation, efforts are made to quantify
the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in various
lakes (Ambazari, Futala and Gandhisagar lake) in
Nagpur city, Maharashtra, India. Water samples were
collected at morning hours during pre immersion,
immersion and post immersion periods. The
immersion of idol of Lord Ganesh, Lord Viswakarma
and Goddess Durga during month of August to
October is
a major source of contamination and sedimentation to
the studied lakes in Nagpur city. The idols are been
made up of clay, plaster of paris, cloth, paper wood,
thermocol, jute, adhesive materials and synthetic
paints. Out of all materials use in making idols,
thermocol is non-biodegradable while paints contain
heavy metals such as chromium, lead, cadmium and
mercury. The findings of the increase heavy metal
concentration after immersion may magnify in their
concentrations at different tropic levels by food chain.
On the basis of changes it is concluded that the level
of water pollution increases in lakes due to religious
activities and cause adverse effect to the aquatic life
or entire aquatic ecosystem. The average level of
metals in all studies lakes followed order Zn>Fe>
Pb>Mn> Cu>Cd.It is observed that values of heavy
metals significantally increased during immersion
period and then declined in post immersion period ,
however, the general trend observed was : immersion
> post-immersion > pre-immersion period. No one
can change or stop these religious activities but
awareness among the people and society can reduce
the pollution.
Keywords: Physicochemical analysis, WQI, lake,
water pollution, festivals, surface water