Pollution load assessment and potential environmental risks of composite industrial effluents discharged from SIIDCUL Integrated Industrial Estate, Haridwar (Uttarakhand), India

Abstract

Aim: Water pollution in unarguably one of the most fundamental environmental issue at global and local level. The industrial wastewaters are emerging as challenging threat to ecological balance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pollution load of composite industrial effluents discharged from the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIIDCUL) Integrated Industrial Estate (IE) at Haridwar (Uttarakhand), India with reference to ecological risks. Methodology: Due to large outstretch of industrial area, the industrial complex was divided into four clusters (Cluster A to Cluster D). The effluent samples were collected from the drainage channels marked from the sampling sites at industrial area. Standard methods of APHA(2012) were followed for the analysis of effluents samples. Results: The results revealed that there was a remarkably high pollution load at industrial estate. The effluents discharged from the industrial units at Cluster C were slightly acidic (pH 5.33) and the parameters like TDS (2107.67 mq I-1), BOD (453.33 mq I-1), COD (1003.3 mq I-1) and some heavy metals like Fe (37.38 mg I-1), Cr (11.254 mg I-1), Cu (4.9 mg I-1) and Pb (2.11 mg I-1) exceeded the permissible limits as prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS, 2012), thereby indicating a considerably higher load of pollutants. The load of metals concentration in the effluents of different clusters was found in the following order Fe>Cd>Zn>Ni>Cr>Cu>Pb>Mn. The higher content of metals in industrial wastewater may be due to the discharge of untreated effluents from metal processing industries. Interpretation: Disposal of effluents can be a source of severe ecological risks in the form of contamination of groundwater, soil, vegetation. Consumption of crops and vegetables irrigated with these effluents may have serious threats to human health, thereby causing a risk of various ailments like encephalopathy, cardiovascular and kidney diseases; muscular pain and intestinal hemorrhage. It is recommended that pollution control and regulatory authorities should periodically monitor the quality of effluents so as to ensure the compliance of prescribed standards.