Characteristics of Industrial Effluents and their Possible Impact on Groundwater Quality

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate industrial effluents of Ahmednagar Industrial Estate, Ahmednagar, and assess the possible impacts of such effluents on quality of groundwater. A total of 11 samples including 4 from industrial effluents at four discharge point in the drain receiving effluents of all industries and 7 from dug wells in the vicinity of the Estate were collected in August, 2010 and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, total suspended solids and heavy metal contents (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu). The pH, Ec and TDS values for all industrial effluent samples were found within the permissible limits compared with the NEQS. It is evident from the results that the industrial effluents had high TSS and were above the permissible limits of NEQS and suggest that these industrial effluents may cause handling problem, if directly applied to agricultural field or if discharged in to river or stream. The levels of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Co Mn, in industrial effluents were within the permissible limits compared with NEQS standards. The analysis of the groundwater showed that, the pH, EC, TSS and TDS values for groundwater were found within the permissible limits compared with the WHO and US-EPA standards established for drinking water and can be used for irrigation purpose as well for drinking water. The values of heavy metal contents (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Co, Cr and Pb) in the groundwater samples were within the permissible limits compared with the WHO and US-EPA standards. These results revealed that the discharge of industrial effluents into open drains increased the heavy metal contents (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Co, Cr and Pb) both in the drain and in groundwater.  Also, the presence of TSS in groundwater, however, even in a small amount does indicate the impact of industrial effluents in the close proximity.