Seasonal variations in seawater quality of two tourism affected shores off South Saurashtra Coastline, India

Dr. Vinay N. Patel

Asst. Professor ,Dept.of Sociology, S.C.A.Patel Arts College, Sadhli

Dist - Vadodara

ABSTRACT:

The nature and distribution of the flora and fauna in the aquatic system are mainly controlled by the fluctuations in the physical and chemical characteristics of the water body (Sundaramanickamet al., 2008). The Arabian Sea is considered as one of the most productive zones in the world oceans (Qasim, 1977; De Sousa et al., 1996). Coastal regions between Okha and Bhavnagar is now a hot-spot for mega industries like Refineries, Cement, Chemicals, Soda Ash, Rayon, Power plant, Fertilizer and other supportive industries. This coastline is known for its rich marine life especially intertidal biota in its extended intertidal and sub tidal areas (Shukla and Misra, 1977). Going through the literature it was revealed that water quality studies of this area were patchy and meager (Bhadja and Kundu, 2012). Present studies therefore, have been aimed to set up a seasonal database of standard water quality parameters of five shores along the South Saurashtra coastline which are favorite for setting up mega industries or SEZ’s.

The investigation was carried out from November-2011 to April-2012 at two different stations Veradale (200 53’ N, 700 26’ E) and Diu (200 42’ N, 710 01’ E) along the South Saurashtra coastline of Arabian Sea (Figure 1). Veradale coast being, a part of the biggest commercial fishing centers in Asia, receives a huge amount of wastes, oil and effluents from the port. It also receives wastewater from domestic sewage system as well as from heavy industries and small scale fish processing plants of the city. On the other hand Diu, a small tourist town, is devoid of sorts of major industrial pollution and anthropogenic pressure. Each sampling stations were visited monthly and at least six samples of surface seawater were collected from different locations of the same coast. However, the locations for the collection of samples in a particular coast were fixed.

Seawater samples were collected once in a month at uniform space from all the sampling sites for various water quality parameters. All the Parameters were determined following methods given in American Public Health Association (1995) and Trivedi and Goel (1986). Some of the parameters such aspH, Temperature, Conductivity measurement were carried out at site immediately after the collection of the water samples, while for other parameters, sample.

KEY WORDS: Seasonal variations, seawater quality, South Saurashtra Coastline

INTRODUCTION:

The coastal ecosystem of India has been endangered by several kinds of anthropogenic causes such as over fishing, shipping, tourism, domestic sewage, industrial waste and pollution along the coast. More than half the world’s population resides within 100 km of the coastline (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1998;Vitousek et al. 1997), with increases likely over the next two decades (Stegeman and Solow 2002). The coastal areas are under pressure since they have become an ultimate dumping place for all the treated and untreated wastes from surrounding areas. These kind of human impacts generally alter the structure and function of marine aquatic ecosystem by changing the species compositions of community and also affecting nutrient cycle and ultimately threaten equilibrium of planet’s biosphere (Ravan, 1988). It is globally recognized that phenomena taking place in the interface between terrestrial and marine systems are particularly important as it concern the transport of pollutants, although the majority of the systems studied hot spots due to coastal human activities having interesting physico-chemical characteristics, is also recognized, but less frequently studied (Mihopoulos P. et. al., 2000). Gujarat shares the lion portion of coastline covering 1650 km long shore, of that Saurashtra region, which is the northern part of Indian coast line occupies a total stretch of 865 km. Saurashtra coastline harbours one of the biggest industrial belts of the country with mega industries, along with large fishing stations except numerous small scale industries that has got establishment on the shore line itself.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Study area

Sample Collection

Figure 1.

Map showing the study locations along the South Saurashtra Coastline, Gujarat, India. we recollected and stored intheplastic bottles and samples for Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) were collected in BOD Bottles (300ml capacity) directly from the surface seawater.

Data Analysis

As the study area, stations were further divided into few sampling sites, water sample were taken into each sites, and thus data on all parameters were analyzed statistically using mean, standard deviation and student’s t-test for the variations among the sampling stations. All statistical analyses were done as per Sokal and Rohlf (1969).

RESULTS:

The results of the different water quality parameters at each of the sampling stations can be seen in Figure. 2. The temperature fluctuation did not differ much between the two stations. Minimum temperature was measured in winter (20.27 0C); thereafter increased and maximum seawater temperature was observed during summer (26.18 0C) at both the stations. The pH values showed less variation between stations as well as months. As it appears the pH was increased during winter (8.57) and thereafter decreased during pre-summer(7.92). The overall Variation in conductivity, total solids, total dissolved solids and turbidity did change throughout the study period, more or less variations observed between two stations. The electrical conductivity values were in the range of 17.12 - 17.55 ms/cm. It has been observed in case of salinity, there was not any significant difference between two stations. The salinity value showed much variation over themonths.However, the values range between 32- 35 ppt. Salinity values increased during pre-summer and summer season.

DISCUSSION:

The present study indicated that both the stations are not much influenced by the anthropogenic activities as the water quality parameters are within the normal range for an open sea coastline (Bhadja and Kundu, 2012). The result showed decreasing trend in the seawater temperature as the winter was slowly started to set in. Seawater temperature was high in summer months as this time normally the blowing hot summer in this region. The atmospheric and water temperature rises in the day time with high velocity wind and dust. Due to the same reason the pH value was found to be little high in winter months. Electrical conductivity is the ability of the substance to conduct the electric current (EMECS, 2007). The pH and conductivity values were found to be in their usual range(Naik et al., 1991).In other physical parameters like TS, TDS and turbidity values were observed more or less variationsmay be due to the tidal activity. The values observed for these parameters were within the range of normal coastal seawater of an open sea (Bhadja and Kundu, 2012; Vaghela et al., 2012).There is no spatial and temporal variations what show ever may be as suggested by statistical analysis.

The physical parameters in the coastal area depend normally on the weather conditions and up to certain extents, the local activities. The range of salinity observed between 32-35 ppt.Low salinity observed during post monsoon season because of owing rainfall and freshwater inflow into the open sea and due to low temperature. It is reported that with increasing salinity, the DO level decreased(Pillai et al.,1979). The dissolving capacity of oxygen is inversely proportional to the salinity and temperature. DO of water is the important parameter, which support the aquatic life (Paul and Mukherjee, 2006). DO level were found to be in range 5.57-6.15 mg/l at both the selected stations.It is a known fact thatin the open marine environment where the DO level is normally high, the BOD and COD levels should be very low. This hypothesis was checked and found positive in the present study. The BOD and COD levels in the coastal water are generally low to naught due to the constant tidal activity and mixing of the water (EMECS, 2007). In the present study Sulphate showed irregular trend over the months. It is an important constituent of hardness with calcium and magnesium. Trace amount of sulphide are present in surface water due to reduction of sulphate. The values of hardness, calcium and magnesium were within the range of values reported for typical Arabian Sea. The present study revealed that there is no statistical significant variation between two stations.

CONCLUSION:

The present study reports that there were no any significant variations between two stations. The present study revealed that there is no statistical significant variation between two stations. It was also showed that there are not much influenced by the tourism and anthropogenic activities as the water quality parameters are within the normal range for an open sea coastline.

REFERENCES:

1. APHA, (1995): Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. American Public Health Association.

2. Bhadja, P. and Kundu, R. (2012): Status of the seawater quality at few industrially important coasts of Gujarat (India) off Arabian Sea. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences, 41(1): 954-961.

3. De Sousa, S.N., Dileep Kumar, M. S., ArmaSardessai, V.V.S.S. and Shirodkar, P.V. (1996): Seasonal variability in oxygen and nutrients in the central and eastern Arabian sea, Current Science, 71(11).

4. EMECS, (2007): Water quality standards for coastal water bodies. International Centre for the Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas. www.emecs.or.jp.

5. Mihopoulos, N., Dassenakis, M., Anastasakis, G. and Scoullos, M. (2000): Physical and Chemical characteristics of a Mediterranean coastal microenvironment: The “salty lake” of AghiosNikolaos (Crete, Greece). Global Nest the int. j. 2(2): 167-178.

6. Naik, R.M., Murthy, M.S., Mansuri, A.P., Rao, Y.N., Parvez, R., Mundkur, T., Krishnan, S., Faldu, P. and Krishna, T.S.V.R. (1991): Coastal Marine Ecosystems and Anthropogenic Pressure in the Gulf of Kachchh. Final Report, WWF-India Sponsored Research Project. Saurashtra University, India.

7. NOAA. (1998): Population: Distribution, Density and Growth, by Culliton TJ. NOAA’s State of the Coast Report. Silver Spring, MD: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Available: http:// state of coast. noaaqov\bulletins\html\pop 01\pop.html | accessed 3 June 2008.

8. Paul, D. K. and Mukherjee, P. (2006): A preliminary study of physicochemical characteristics of a perennial fish pond, J. of Hematology and Ecotoxicology. 1(1): 49 – 56.

9. Pillai, C.S.G., Rajagopal, M.S.and Varghese, M.A. (1979): Preliminary report on the reconnaissance survey of the major coastal and marine ecosystems in the Gulf of Kutch. Mar. Fish. Infor. Serv. T and E. Ser., (14): 16-20, CMFRI, Cochin.

10. Qasim, S.Z. (1977): Biological productivity of the Indian Ocean, Indian journal of Marine Science, 6: 122-137.

11. Ravan, P.H. (1988): Keeping Options Alive. The scientific basis for conserving Biodiversity. WEI. Washington DC.

12. Stegeman, J. and Solow, A.R. (2002): Environmental health and the coastal zone. Environ Health Perspect 110: 660-661.

13. Sokal, R.R. and Rohlf, F.J. (1969): Biometry, W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.

14. Shukla, J. and Misra, B.M. (1977): Relationship between Sea Surface Temperature and Wind Speed over the Central Arabian Sea and Monsoon Rainfall over India, Monthly Weather Review, 105: 998-1002.

15. Sundaramanickam, A., Shivakumar, T., Kumaran, R., Ammaiappan, V. and Velappam, R., (2008): A comparative study of Physico-chemical Investigation along Parangipettai and Cuddalore Coast, Journal of Environmental Science and Technology,1(1): 1-10.

16. Trivedi, R.K. and Goel, P.K. (1986): Chemical and Biological Methods for Water pollution studies, Environment Pollution V.C. College of Science, Karad,

17. Vaghela, A., Bhadja, P., Ramoliya, J., Patel, N. and Kundu, R. (2010): Seasonal variations in the water quality, diversity and population ecology of intertidal macrofauna at an industrially influenced coast. Journal of Water Science and Technology, 61(6): 1505-1514.

18. Vitousck, P.M., Mooney, H. A., Lubchenko, J. and Mellilo, J.M. (1997): Human domination of earth’s ecosystem. Science, 277: 494-499.

Received on 24.10.2016

Modified on 22.12.2016

Accepted on 30.12.2016

Research J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 7(4): October- December, 2016, 255-258.

DOI: 10.5958/2321-5828.2016.00040.1