Studies on physic-chemical characterization of sediment in Budha Nalla, Punjab, India

Abstract

Today Budha Nallah has become a major source of pollution in the region, as it gets polluted after entering the highly industrialized Ludhiana city, turning it into an open drain. Physical and Chemical analysis of sediments were done for sludge quality assessment, also helpful in analyzing an approximate level of the soil contamination. The objective of this study was to investigate the pollution of sediments in Budha Nallah. The basic sequence of measurements includes three steps: sampling (at 8 locations), sample preparation and chemical procedures for analysis based on standard methods and reference materials. All of these steps are vital in maintaining the sediment quality. The further steps of refinement are in accordance to the specific purposes like characterization of sediment samples for various important parameters such as organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus contents and heavy metals (e.g. Fe, Na, K, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu and Cr) etc. Quite higher concentration of heavy metals and nutrients were measured in the sludge, this can be attributed to the discharge of industrial effluents in the past, domestic and agricultural waste and other anthropogenic activities around the Nallah. It is feared that in the long run it might prove harmful to ground water and ultimately to human beings and animals. This dissertation seeks to give a method to study the various pollutants present in the sediment samples collected from different locations of Budha Nallah and their possible causes.