Abstract
Water plays a vital role for all the existence of life on earth. The rapid growth of urban areas has affected the water quality due to over exploitation and improper waste disposal practices. In the present study various water samples were collected from different places in Vaigai River at Madurai, Tamilnadu, India during October 2016 to March, 2017. The physicochemical parameters such as temperature, colour, turbidity, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, electrical conductivity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, nitrate, fluoride, dissolved oxygen, COD., etc. were determined using standard procedures. The sampling sites were selected on the basis of their distance, such as Sholavandan (S1), Thiruvedakam (S2), Thenur (S3), Kochadai (S4), Arappalayam (S5), Goripalayam (S6) and Teppakulam ((S7). The pH value 7.0 is considered as best and ideal. The pH is range from 7.38 to 7.87 which was the permissible limit. Total dissolved solidsand Electrical conductivity was found moderate in S1 to S6 site and S7 were recorded maximum. The total hardness and alkalinity also recorded maximum in S7 site than that remains. The Calcium, Mg, and Fe were recorded maximum in S7 site rest of others were permissible limit. Free NH3 was found maximum in S5 (1.2mg/L), S6 (1.5mg/L) and S7 (2.5mg/L) site. Nitrite was observed high in S3 (1.5mg/L). Phosphate was found objectable limit in S3 (1.2mg/L) and S7 (2.0mg/L). Finally, the result was concluding that the surface running water was contaminated at few sampling sites namely S5 (Arappalayam), S6 (Goripalayam) and S7 (Teppakulam) due to the anthropogenic activity and it is alarmingly above the permissible limits. But the sampling sites S1, S2, S3 and S4 are recommended for use to drinking and other purpose.The results were compared with the standard permissible limits prescribed by BIS and WHO.
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