Solar Desalination Technology: Physicochemical Parameters Estimation of Contaminated & Treated Water of Gomti River, Lucknow (U.P.), India

Abstract

In the present research article, physicochemical parameters of raw and distilled water of the Gomti River are estimated and compared with standards of drinking water quality by using a modified double slope solar distillation unit. The raw water as five different samples collected from different locations of Gomti River (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India) was treated. Total number of 16 physiological and biochemical characteristics and parameters of raw and distilled water are estimated such as electrical conductivity (3.62 ± 0.176 to 3.21 ± 0.52), TDS (837 ± 49.65 to 682 ± 15.73), pH (8.7 ± 0.18 to 8.9 ± 0.50), alkalinity (223 ± 9.23 to 215 ± 3.36), total hardness (347 ± 19.82 to 313 ± 11.2), DO (5.79 ± 0.36 to 3.29 ± 0.67), chloride (104 ± 3.4 to 108 ± 4.9), nitrate (7.21 ± 0.29 to 7.93 ± 0.83), BOD (3.27 ± 0.79 to 2.24 ± 0.27), TSS (403.27 ± 0.19 to 214.07 ± 0.32), COD (39.56 ± 0.76 to 33.2 9± 0.17), sulphate (452 ± 0.63 to 321 ± 1.67) and Ecoliform (3100 ± 3.93 to 2750 ± 2.45) which were within the range of World Health Organization & Bureau of Indian Standers approved standards. It is observed that this fabricated modified double slope solar still is producing drinkable water as per the requirement for solving the water scarcity problems in especially coastal & arid areas due to shortage of electricity. Experimental results show that solar still is producing 8-9 liters in the summer & 4-5 liters in the winter seasons.