Research Article Open Access

Studies on THE DISTILLERY EFFLUENT CHARACTERISTICS AND its impact on Vembanad Lake in the industrial area of varanadu in alAPpUZHA district, kerala

Abstract

The present study was conducted to analyse the physico-chemical characteristics of effluent discharged from the distillery unit of Mc Dowell and company situated in Varanadu at Cherthala Taluk, Alappuzha District in Kerala State. Also to find out the changes in physico-chemical characteristics of Vembanad Lake water due to the discharge of distillery effluent, there by estimating the pollution load of the lake. Samples of raw effluent, treated effluent and lake water from selected sampling sites were collected in the pre-monsoon and post monsoon seasons during the period November 2005 -April 2006. The results of this study revealed that although the conventional primary and secondary effluent treatment processes could reduce the pollution potential of the effluent with respect to temperature, BOD, nitrate, phosphate, sulphate etc., it is not so effective in bringing down the values of hardness, chloride, and total solids, COD etc. within the tolerance limit for effluent discharge to inland surface waters as specified by CPCB criteria. Thus the lake water receiving the discharged distillery effluent showed high rate of organic pollution, which causes severe damage to the aquatic life. Some management strategies were also discussed in this study to reduce the pollution load of the treated distillery effluent discharged from the distillery unit.

K. LEKSHMI AND D.S. JAYA