IJEP 44(11): 989-998 : Vol. 44 Issue. 11 (November 2024)
Arti Sharma* and Bandhana
University of Jammu, Department of Zoology, Jammu – 180 006, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Abstract
Streams form the major water courses and have definite characteristics that differentiate them from rivers. Lotic ecosystems are under constant threat owing to an upsurge in pollution load, which is affecting their ecology. Behlol stream, an important tributary of river Tawi, is the only lifeline of Jammu city and during its course, it receives untreated industrial and sewage waste, thus bringing about a considerable change in its water quality. The present investigation deals with the assessment of both water and sediment quality for the period of one year (2018-2019). Keeping in view the various anthropogenic activities, the stretch of this waterbody has been divided into three stations. Various physico-chemical parameters of water and sediments were analysed using standard procedures. Heavy metals, namely Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb were also assessed both in water and sediments using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The degree of contamination of water and sediments has been evaluated by using various water and sediment pollution indices. Based on WQI and CPI score, a large variance in water quality was observed. Heavy metals pollution analysis of the water and sediments revealed their greater concentration in sediments than water. Among all the studied heavy metals, concentrations of Fe, Pb and Cu in water were found to be higher than the prescribed limit as recommended by WHO. The contamination factor, geo-accumulation index and pollution load index revealed high heavy metal pollution in sediments at the point of confluence of industrial effluent with mainstream.
Keywords
Behlol stream, Tawi, heavy metals, Jammu, Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, Water quality index
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