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COURSE OBJECTIVES: Identify the carriers or vectors that promote the transfer of these agents from
the environment to the human. Describe how these agents interact with biological systems, and the
mechanisms by which they exert adverse health effects. Explain and use models for prediction of the
magnitude of adverse effects in biological systems.
Water: types, sources and consequences of water pollution, Physico – chemical and Bacteriological
sampling and analysis of water-Sewage waste water treatment and recycling. Water quality standards –
Laying and maintenance, insitu lining – appurtenances.
Model – definition – types – uses-systems and models – kinds of mathematical models –model
development-water quality standards –Historical development of water quality models – rivers and
streams water quality modeling – river hydrology and flow –low flow analysis-dispersion and mixing
flow, depth and velocity.
Ground water and the hydrologic cycles-Ground water as a resource –Ground water contamination-
Sources of contamination-Land disposal of solid wastes-Sewage disposal on Land. Ground water and
geologic processes.
The microbiological social and public aspects of sanitation and water supply, the micro-organisms
responsible for disease, their origins, mechanisms for elimination, and the epidemiology of waterborne
and water washed disease.
TOTAL: 45
Essay on Water Pollution: Sources, Effects and Control of Water Pollution!
Water pollution is defined as the addition of some substance (organic, inorganic, biological, and
radiological) or factor (e.g., heat) which degrades the quality of water so that it either becomes health
Raw sewage contaminates water with pathogens. Microorganisms causing degradation of sewage take up
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Sewage produces foul-odour and makes the water brownish and oily. Organic waste gives rise to scum
and sludge that makes the water unfit for recreational and industrial use.
It induces the growth of some algal blooms that add to the depletion of oxygen, addition of more organic
matter and fouling of water. Modern day detergents degrade very slowly. They, therefore, accumulate and
render the water unfit for human and animal use. The phosphates present in detergents further stimulate
2. Surface Run-Off:
The pollutants present on the surface of land and fertilizers added to the soils” are washed down into
water reservoirs and water courses during rains. This flow of fertilizer rich water into streams and lakes
3. Industrial Effluents:
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They are industrial wastes which are allowed to pass into water bodies. The important toxic chemicals
(i) Mercury:
It is released during combustion of coal, smelting of metallic ores, chloralkali, paper and paint industries.
Mercury is persistent. In water it gets changed into water soluble dimethyl form [(CH,) 2Hg)] and enters
the food chain accompanied by biological or ecological amplification. Human beings feeding on poisoned
(ii) Lead:
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The sources of lead pollution are smelters, battery, industry, paint, chemical and pesticide industries,
automobiles’ exhausts, etc. It is mutagenic and causes anaemia, headache, and bluish lines round the
gums.
(iii) Cadmium:
It shows biological amplification and accumulates inside kidneys, liver, pancreas and spleen. It causes
Copper, zinc, nickel, titanium, etc. cause toxaemia and change in enzyme functioning.
Several types of liquid effluents containing toxic chemicals, acids and bases, are added to the rivers and
other water bodies. They kill fish and other aquatic life besides being toxic to human beings. Some
examples of large scale effluent addition into rivers are Yamuna (near Okhla, Delhi), Gomti (near
4. Thermal Pollution:
Many industrial processes are causing thermal pollution leading to higher temperatures. These industries
do not contaminate the water supply, but use a lot of water for cooling purposes and return this water to
the stream at a higher temperature, which affect the biotic components in the aquatic habitat. Warmer
water holds less oxygen (14 ppm at 0°C, 1 ppm at 20°C) and hence its Biological Oxygen Demand
(BOD) increases. Green algae are replaced by less desirable blue-green algae. Trout eggs fail to hatch
5. Marine Pollution:
Oceanic pollution is caused by ship-generated discharges of oil and petroleum products, noxious liquids,
packaged dangerous goods, sewage, garbage etc. Migrating birds caught m the oil slicks losing their
power of flight due to closer interlocking of barbules of the feathers, is common enough. Employment of
detergents to clean the oil slicks has been found to be harmful to marine life.
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Eutrophication:
Any lake or sheet of fresh water, to begin with is oligotrophic, supporting a minimum of life forms.
Therefore, its productivity would be minimal. But in times it comes to be occupied by immigrant life
forms, which on death and decay would make further immigration possible.
The lake is then said to have reached a mesotrophic level. Finally, it comes to be occupied by a rich flora
and fauna when it is said to have reached the eutrophic level i.e., when its productivity had reached its
maximum. In nature, this would take place through thousands of years but with industrialisation and other
forms of human activity, this process of eutrophication, as it is called is achieved into a few decades.
Water pollution by organic wastes is measured in terms of bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD). BOD is
defined as the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to stabilize decomposable organic matter in
waste under aerobic condition. It is oxygen required in milligrams for five days to metabolise waste
present in one litre of water at 20°C. A weak organic waste will have BOD below 1500 mg/litre, medium
between 1500—1400 mg/litre while a strong waste above it. Since BOD is limited to organic wastes, it is
not a reliable method of measuring water pollution. Another slightly better mode is COD or chemical
oxygen demand. It measures all oxygen consuming pollutant materials present in water.
It is an indicator of water or effluent quality which measures oxygen demand by chemical (as distinct
from biological) means using potassium dichromate as the oxidizing agent. Oxidation takes 2 hours and
the method is thus much quicker than a 5-day BOD assessment. The BOD: COD ratio is fairly constant
Water pollution can be controlled to a large extent on the principle, “the solution to pollution is dilution.”
The various methods for the control of water pollution are discussed below:
1. The sewage pollutants are subject to chemical treatment to change them into non-toxic substances or
2. Water pollution due to organic insecticides can be reduced by the use of very specific and less stable
evaporative or wet cooling towers and dry cooling towers. The purpose is that the waters in the rivers and
sun-light and the organic nutrients present in the waste there will be mass scale growth of those bacteria
6. Polluted water can be reclaimed by proper sewage treatment plants and the same water can be reused in
factories and even irrigation. Such a treated water being rich in phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen can
7. Suitable strict legislation should be enacted to make it obligatory for the industries to treat the waste
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8. Water hyacinth popularly known as Kaloli and Jalkumbhi, can purify water polluted by biological and
chemical wastes. It can also filter out heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, lead and nickel as well as
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1. Inorganic pollutants:
This category of water pollutants consists of acids, alkalies, soluble salts, metallic complexes, trace
elements, phosphate detergents from chemical industries, metallurgical processes, coal mines etc. causing
pollution in water.
2. Toxic metals:
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Toxic metals are added in water from industrial activities, domestic sewage discharge an fossil fuel
burning. Heavy metals such as mercury(Hg), Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), Cobalt (Co) etc.
3. Organic pollutants:
Organic pollutant enter into the water system through domestic sewage, industrial wastes from paper
mills and tanneries, waste from meat packaging plants, detergents, biocides etc.
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Sewage is a cloudy dilute aqueous solution containing minerals and organic waste. About 75% of water
pollution is caused by sewage, domestic waste, food processing plants and sewage sludge. Sewage
contains decomposable organic waste and exert oxygen demand on the receiving water.
5. Sediments:
The natural process of soil erosion gives rise to sediments in water. It includes soil, sand and mineral
6. Synthetic detergents:
Detergents contain surfactants, builders, additives stabilizers and carboxymethyl cellulose etc. Surfactant
is a surface active agent e.g., Alkyl benzene sulphonates which show resistance to biodegradation. Both
surfactant and builders cause serious water pollution. Additives act as plant nutrients that support eutropic
conditions.
Decrease in dissolved oxygen (DO) level is an index of pollution due to organic matter eg. Sewage,
industrial waste, runs off from agricultural lands etc. All these material undergo degradation by microbial
activities in the presence of DO. It causes quick depletion of dissolved oxygen level in water bodies.
8. Disease causing agents creating pollution in water:
Water has been a potential carrier of toxic, inorganic and organic matter, non-biodegradable matters and
pathogenic microbes which can endanger health causes severe disease like cholera, typhoid, dysentery
etc.
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9. Radioactive Pollutant:
Radioactive pollutant reach the water bodies through numerous sources such as , nuclear reactor,
radioactive fallout, mining and processing of ore, leakage from underground nuclear detonations, etc.
The runoff from the agricultural containing chemical fertilizers rich in phosphates, nitrates serves as
nutrient for the excessive growth of algae and other phytoplankton’s. This is called as algal bloom which
releases toxic chemicals and also demands oxygen for its decomposition after completion of life span.
Thermal pollution of water may be defined as the warming of an aquatic ecosystem to the point where
desirable organisms are directly affected. The industries like chemical industries, electric power plants
etc. discharges heated effluent which raises the temperature of water by 10°C to 15 °C. The heated water
reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen content in water which results in killing of marine fishes.
EV5202 INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT LTPC
3003
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UNIT I INTRODUCTION 9
Industrial scenario in India– Industrial activity and Environment - Uses of Water by industry –
Sources and types of industrial wastewater – Nature and Origin of Pollutants - Industrial
wastewater and environmental impacts – Regulatory requirements for treatment of industrial
wastewater – Industrial waste survey – Industrial wastewater monitoring and sampling -
generation rates, characterization and variables –Toxicity of industrial effluents and Bioassay
tests – Major issues on water quality management.