The Investigation of Pollutants of Different Waste Water Effluents in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

This study investigated the level of pollutants by analyzing the physicochemical parameters of waste
water collected at five different stations including sewage water from house, farmland water, salt
yard water and industrial outlet points. Organic and inorganic compounds, heavy metals and
biogenic compound have been analyzed by using volumetric, gravimetric and colorimetric
(spectrophotometric) methods. The parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, hardness, E-coli,
chloride content, phosphate, sulphate, iron, sodium, alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand, biological
oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen. The pH values of the sample between the values from 6.0 to7.6.
The conductivity was measured by using conductivity meter the values of the sample between the
values from 460 µs – 113000 µs. In E-coli content was positive for domestic waste water sample. The
TDS value varies from 0.0037 to 0.04 mg/L The chloride content of waste water samples was
determined by volumetric method. The turbidity of the sample is measured by using turbidity meter.
The turbidity values between <1-248 NTU. The sulphate content of the sample is measured by using
turbidity method by barium sulphate precipitation. The sulphate content of the sample from 3400 to
48000 g/l as SO42-. The phosphate content of the sample values between 30-1400 ppm as PO43- using
colorimetric method. The iron content of the waste water is determined by using spectrophotometer.
Most important parameters of biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand were
measured. The results of various physicochemical parameters studied in this work are varied from
places to place and which was compared with limits of State Pollution Control Board and World
Health Organisation and revealed that this study recommended the further development and the
necessary steps to take before discharging this wastewater.