ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY FOR SUGAR INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF GREATER DINAJPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the degree of toxicity of water collected from different sugar industries of greater Dinajpur District in Bangladesh. The 64 water samples were collected from ground sources to study the chemical constituents and categorized the waters on the basis of their suitability for irrigation, aquaculture, drinking and industrial uses. The chemical analyses included pH, EC, TDS, anions (CO3, HCO3. Cl, POs, SO) and cations (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn, B) and estimated parameters SAR, SSP, RSC and Hy were also calculated. All waters were alkaline in nature (pH= 5.93 to 7.97) except several samples. According to TDS all the waters were graded as “Fresh water”. SSP . tated the samples as “excellent” classes. 57 samples were free from RSC and all waters were classified in suitable category for irrigation. Hardness (Hy) categorized the waters as hard and very hard classes. The toxicity of B, Fe, Mn, SO4, and PO4 were not detected. The concentrations of these ions were far below the recommended limits for irrigation. But in most of waters Cl was considered as toxicants for irrigating crops. B, SO, and TDS were recorded within or below the recommended limit and most of the waters were not problematic for drinking. Based on Cl content all samples were unsuitable for irrigation, 1 sample was unsuitable for drinking and textiles. As per Fe content, all waters were unsuitable for carbonated beverage, confectionery, laundering, tanning .and textile. As per Mn content all waters were suitable for air-conditioning, brewing, carbonated beverage, confectionery, ice manufacture, laundering and pulp and paper industries.SO,4 status graded the waters as suitable for all purposes. None of the waters alone were suitable for most industrial usage. Positive significant correlations existed between RSC and SAR, Hr and SSP, P# and RSC, EC and SSP, EC and Hy, TDS and SSP, TDS and Hr, TDS and EC.