Assessment of water quality parameters and zooplankton diversity of Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana.
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Date
2016
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study was conducted to assess the water quality and zooplankton diversity of
Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana. Buddha Nullah is a seasonal water stream which originates near
Chamkaur Sahib and merges into the river Sutlej after crossing Ludhiana District.
Zooplankton are minute, free floating animals found in aquatic ecosystem. Water and
zooplankton samples were collected seasonally (April, June, July and December 2015) from
five spots i.e. Machhiwara, Buddhewal, Jamalpur, Sunder Nagar and Walipur of Buddha
Nullah. The analysis of water samples for physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals was
done using standard methods and ICAP-AES, respectively. Heavy metals like chromium
(1.576mg/l), iron (58.82mg/l), nickel (0.943mg/l) and lead (0.162mg/l) and physico-chemical
parameters such as total hardness (591mg/l), free CO2 (253mg/l) and BOD (156.5mg/l) were
found to be higher than the prescribed limits by WHO. Among zooplankton, pollution
indicator species of rotifers (Brachionus sp.) were found during summer season but copepods
(Cyclops muller) and cladocerans (Moina brachiata) were found throughout the year at nonpolluted
spots (Machhiwara and Buddhewal). Occurrence of these pollution indicator species
reveals higher pollution load at Jamalpur, Sunder Nagar and Walipur. Hence, the spots
namely Jamalpur, Sunder Nagar and Walipur contains higher pollution load than Machhiwara
and Buddhewal.
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