Pollution Research Paper

ASSESSMENT OF NUTRIENT CONCENTRATION IN THE SEDIMENT OF YAMUNA RIVER, INDIA

SHIKHA SHARMA, PAWAN KUMAR JHA, TANU JINDAL, MANJU RAWAT RANJAN AND UMESH KUMAR SINGH

Abstract

Land use change is extremely rapid and is impacting the river systems due to increasing human population. River Sediment is loose sand, clay, silt and other soil particles that settle down at the bottom of a water body. The Sediment sample of Yamuna River was collected from 25 different locations starting from Dakpatthar to Allahabad in the month of June 2014 and December 2014. The samples collected were then analyzed for different physicochemical parameters and nutrient concentrations. This study was carried out to determine the seasonal variation in pH, EC (electrical conductivity), organic matter and other nutrient parameters such as nitrate, nitrite, ammonium and biogenic silica. pH of Yamuna river sediment was found mildly acidic to alkaline in nature and varied from 6.25-7.81. Electrical conductivity (EC) varied from 6-140 (μs/cm) in both the premonsoon and post-monsoon season which indicates anthropogenic input mainly from domestic and industrial waste which also contributes to the high organic matter load in the Yamuna river sediments. The pre-monsoon concentration of nitrate, nitrite, ammonium and biogenic silica in the sediment samples of Yamuna River varied as 1.73±1.63, 0.05±0.03, 20.03±2.13 and 8.44±4.38 (mg/kg). The post-monsoon concentration of nitrate, nitrite, ammonium and biogenic silica in the sediment samples of Yamuna River system varied as 1.79±1.46, 0.06±0.06, 29.54±0.96, 2.92±0.49 (mg/kg). Organic matter percentage in the sediment samples was found as 1.23±1.04 in pre monsoon and 0.52±0.36 (% organic matter) in post monsoon season. The concentration of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium was found higher in the post monsoon season whereas biogenic silica and organic matter has shown higher concentration in the pre monsoon season. The grain size of sediments collected varied from coarse silt to medium sand for both pre-monsoon and post monsoon season.