Assessment of Hydro-Geochemical Indices of Periyar River in Eloor Industrial Belt (Kerala), India to Identify Potential Environmental Impacts

Abstract

The study investigated the role of hydrogeochemical parameters that act as indicators of environmental pollution in industrial areas of Periyar River, Kerala India. A total of 20 water/sediment samples collected along the industrial stretch of Eloor-Vypin area during the premonsoon season of the year 2020. Among the hydrochemical parameters, extent of pollution was imparted by the assessment of nutrients and heavy metals concentration. The micro nutrients such as silicate (640-3440μg/L), ammonia (4.42-894.2μg/L), phosphate (28.65-132.41μg/L), nitrite (3.12-30.14μg/L), and nitrate (50.13-851.97μg/L) were found to have higher enrichment at locations near the industrial areas of the study. The identified heavy metals, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Th having concentrations ranging from 1.0-152.4, 1.2-49.2, 1.2-31.7, 3.0-26.2, 1.1-13.3, 0.1-3.2μg/L, respectively. Various pollution indices suggest that the sediments having low to moderate level heavy metal contamination. The conditions may be worsen in the future if the industrial activities are continued in an unregulated manner. Keywords: Industrial Pollution; Heavy Metals; WQI; Hydrochemical Studies; Contamination Factor