Application of Heavy Metal Pollution Index for Ground Water Quality Assessment in Angul District of Orissa, INDIA

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution index (HPI), a technique of rating water quality, is an effective tool to assess the water quality with respect to heavy metals. Eighteen groundwater samples were collected from open and tube wells during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The concentrations of trace metals such as cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The values of HPI of the samples were found in the range of 31-87 in pre-monsoon season while 30-77 in post-monsoon season, which found below the critical index limit of 100. The higher concentration of dissolved metals during pre-monsoon season exhibits poor quality of water as compared to post-monsoon season. It may be due to dissolution of metals during rock-water interaction in relatively stagnant and low flow of ground water in pre-monsoon season.