QUANTIFICATION OF SURFACE WATER CONTAMINANTS FROM AGROCHEMICALS IN RURAL AND TRANSITION ZONES OF BENGALURU
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Date
2023-02-15
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
Abstract
Surface water is a life-saving, limited but easily accessible natural resource essential for the survival of all living organisms. In the case of humans and livestock, it is also essential for food production. Due to urbanization and an increase in the population water scarcity has increased due to contamination. Agriculture inputs are one of the major sources of contamination and the present study is an effort to analyze this in rural and transition zones of Bengaluru, one of the fastest-growing cities in India. In the major fertilizers used by the farmers, it is found that there are high concentrations of heavy metals, especially in zinc sulphate and phosphatic fertilizers compared to urea and ammonium sulphate. The higher levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead were recorded in zinc sulphate, diammonium phosphate, single super phosphate and muriate of potash. Based on the analysis of the physicochemical properties of water bodies in the agroecosystems it is found that surface water bodies during post-monsoon were found to have excellent to good water quality, while in the pre-monsoon they were found to be excellent to moderate in quality for irrigation. Based on Horton’s assessment surface water in the south and north rural parts of Bengaluru falls into the excellent water quality class. In the transition zone, all the surface water samples from the north and southern parts were in good to excellent water class during the post-monsoon season. Whereas in pre-monsoon, the majority of surface water bodies are found in the good water category. Thus, in general, the water quality of surface water bodies in the agroecosystems of the transitional zone of Bengaluru is more contaminated compared to the rural zone which can be attributed to contamination caused by higher chemical inputs used in agricultural activities in this region.