WATER POLLUTION:

SOURSES AND
CLASSIFICATION OF WATER
POLLUTANTS

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Water used

Drinking
Domestic uses
Industrial cooling
Power generation
Agriculture (irrigation)
Transportation
Waste disposal

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 Main source of water in India is rain
Seasonwise distribution of rainfall in India

Duration Approximate % of the annual

rainfall

January-February 2.6
MarchMay 10.4 Scarcity of water
JuneSeptember 73.7 .. Flood
OctoberDecember 13.3
_________ 3
Estimated Rainfall

17.5% water evaporates

20% water runs off into surface water bodies
(river + pond + .. )
53.5% water percolates into the soil
Alternative water source for human
Desalinated sea water (for drinking purpose)
(Distillation, electro dialysis, reverse osmosis
etc.)
Reclaimed waste water (for irrigation, sanitary
and fire fighting) 4
Waste water (by the origin)

Domestic wastewater
Industrial wastewater

Water Pollution

Domestic and industrial wastes polluted the aquatic

system.
75 to 80% of Indias population is exposed to unsafe
drinking water.
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Fish are being killed in millions along sea coasts.
Classification of water pollutants

1. Oxygen demanding wastes

2. Diseasecausing agents
3. Synthetic organic compounds
4. Plant nutrients
5. Inorganic chemicals and minerals
6. Sediments
7. Radioactive substances
8. Thermal discharges 6
1. Oxygen Demanding Wastes (DO & BOD)

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is essential for sustaining the

plant and animal life in any aquatic system.
For example, warm water fish requires a minimum
DO level of at least 5 mg/l.

If the DO level drops below the level necessary to

sustain normal life, then the aquatic system is
classified as polluted.
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Process by which the DO content is affected

(a) Reaeration
(b) Photosynthesis
(c) Respiration
(d) Oxidation of wastes
(a) Reaeration: Process by which oxygen transfer
takes place from the atmosphere to water.

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When the DO level falls below the saturation value,
oxygen diffuses from the atmosphere at a rate which
is proportional to the deficit.

Interface

Air water

Cs

CL

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Oxygen (air) is sparingly (not highly) soluble in water and
so, liquid film controlling (kl = KL)

mass of O 2 transfer
Mass Flux ,
unit area of surface time

N = KL (CS CL)

KL = Liquid Phase MTC

CS = Conc. of DO at saturation (interface)

CL = Actual conc. of DO in the water

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The rate of oxygen transfer (mass/time) into unit
volume of water (v) is given by:

dC L NA A
K L CS CL r CS CL
dt V V
where,
KL A
= Reaeration rate constant / reoxygenation rate
V
constant

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Types of Water KL
(m/day)
Stagnant water 0.10-0.15
Water flowing at 0.6 0.25
m/min
Sluggish polluted river 0.5
Sluggish clean water 1.0
about 5 cm deep
Water flowing at 10m/min 2.0
Open sea water 3.0
Water flowing at 15m/min 7.0 13
(b) Photosynthesis: Requires solar radiation

During Photosynthesis
Green plants (algae) utilize CO2 and produce O2

Organic materials are synthesized and produce O2

Since, photosynthesis occurs only in presence of

sunlight, so the DO level in the water increases during
the day.

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(c) Respiration:
The bacterial and algal respiration is responsible for
the production of CO2 and subsequent depletion of
DO.

(d) Oxidation of wastes:

The organic substances are called oxygen demanding
wastes. When these substances enter a waterway, DO
is consumed in their breakdown by micro-organisms.

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Pollution results when the oxygen demand exceeds the
available oxygen.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): is a measure of

the O2 utilized by microorganisms during the oxidation of
organic materials. On an average, the demand for oxygen is
directly proportional to the amount of organic waste which has
to broken down. Hence, BOD is a direct measure of oxygen
requirements and an indirect measure of biodegradable organic
matter.
If a given amount of organic matter is introduced into a water
sample and its decomposition is monitored, one would observe
that the rate of oxidation of organic matter (rate of decline of
BOD) can be approximated as a first-order chemical reaction
whose kinetics may be expressed as: 16
 dL
K1 L
dt (2)

L = The amount of BOD remaining in time t or the conc.

of the remaining oxidisable material (mg/l)

K1 = The reaction rate constant or deoxygenation content,

day-1

Let at t = 0, L = Lu = Ultimate BOD (the original

concentration of the organic material before any biological
action has occurred), we can integrate eq. (2) to get 17
 L k1' t
exp( k1t ) 10 .. (3)
Lu

k1
Where k1
2.303

L Lu 10 k1 t
. (4)

If y represents the amount of BOD utilized at any time t,

then
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Lu = L + y . (5)
 or
y Lu L Lu 1 10 k1 t
(6)

A standard way to measure BOD is to determine the

amount of O2 required by the bacteria during the first five
days of decomposition at 200C . The result is known as the
5-day BOD at 200C, commonly abbreviated as BOD5 that
is equals . (7)

y5 Lu L5 Lu 1 10 5 K1

Equation (7) is clearly shown in figure 7.4.
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 Determination of K1 and Lu using Thomas method:
The method is eased on the similarity of two functions
3

1 10 k1t
And 2.3 k1 t 1
2.3
6
k1 t

Now

1 10
k1 t 1 1 2 1
2.3 k1 t 1 2.3 k1 t 2.3k1t 2.3 k1t ....
3
2 6 24

---------------- (8)

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 And

3
2.3
2.3 k1t 1 k1 t
1 1
2.3 k1t 1 2.3 k1t 2.3 k1 t
2 1
2.3k1t 3 ....
6 2 6 21.6
.(9)

As can be seen, the first three terms within the brackets in

the two series are identical, and the difference between the
fourth term is small. Hence, the equation (6) can be written
as:
3
2.3
y Lu 2.3K 1t 1 k1t
6 ...(10)
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 Taking the inverse and the cube root, and rearranging,
we get

1
K1 3
2
t 3 1
2.3 K 1 Lu t -------- (11)

3
3.43 Lu 3
1
y

A plot of (t/y)1/3 vs time, t, will give a straight line whose

slope, b and intercept, a can be used to calculate K 1 and
Lu.

1 K1 3
2

a 2.3 K 1 Lu

3 b
3.43 Lu 3
1

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Finally we get,

b
k1 2.61 --------------------------- (12)
a
1
Lu --------------------------- (13)
2.3k1 a 3
If we know K1 and Lu, it is possible to predict the BOD
utilization with time according to equation (6).

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 Some typical values of K1 and Lu

Type of Waste water K11 (day-1) Lu(mg/l)

Weak wastewater 0.152 150

Strong wastewater 0.168 250

Primary sewage effluent 0.152 75-150

Secondary sewage 0.052- 15-75

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effluent 0.100
 Drinking water usually has a BOD of less that 1 mg/l,
and water is considered fairly pure with a BOD of 3
mg/l. But, when the BOD value reaches 5 mg/l the water
is of doubtful purity.

Source BOD range (mg/l)

Daily wastes 400-2000
Food Processing 500-4000
wastes
Mixed chrome tanning 500-5000
Wool scouring 500-10000
Pharmaceutical 400-10000
Manufacture
Paper Pulping 1500-25000 26
2. Disease causing Agents

Water carries pathogenic micro-organisms, which

come from tanning and meat packaging industries.
Some bacteria are water-borne. These disease causing
agents cause cholera, typhoid, dysentery.
Viruses are also found in water, which are responsible
for polio, infectious hepatitis and fever.
Water also plays an indirect role in the transmission of
diseases like malaria, yellow fever.

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3. Synthetic Organic compounds (Pesticides,
detergents)

Pesticides and detergents are not biodegradable and

may persist for long periods reaching objectionable
levels in water or in aquatic life. Wide variety of
these compounds are not being detected.
Pesticides

Insecticides
Herbicides
Fungicides
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Pesticides result primarily from surface run off from
agricultural lands, waster discharge by pesticide
manufactures and by other means. Because of their world
wide usage, nearly all the rivers and oceans of the world
contain pesticide residues.

Limiting standards for some common pesticides in

drinking water are given as:

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Pesticides Max Permissible
limit (mg/l)
Aldrin 0.017
Chlordane 0.003
DDT 0.042
Dieldrin 0.017
Endrin 0.001
Heptachlor 0.018
Heptachlor 0.018
Epoxide
Lindane 0.056 30
Toxaphene 0.005
Detergents:
The basic active ingredient in detergents is the surfactant
or surface active agent. It lowers the surface tension and
allows dirt particles to become linked to water. The dirt is
subsequently lifted or floated from the soiled garment
during the washing process.
Surfactant concentration as low as 1 ppm produce form
in rivers and in sewage treatment plants. Although these
concentration are non-toxic to humans, (*) the presence
of surfactants gives on off-taste to drinking water. (*) The
presence of surfactants reduces the rate of oxygen
absorption in water.
The acceptable concentration for surfactants in water
supplies has been set at 0.5 ppm. 31
4. Plant Nutrients

Nitrogen and Phosphorus are essential elements

which are required by plants and animals for
maintaining their growth and metabolism. Small
amount of nitrates and phosphates occur in all
aquatic systems and these are sufficient to maintain
a balanced biological growth. Huge amount of
nitrates and phosphates may enter the water bodies
directly from the manufacture and use of fertilizers,
and from the processing of biological materials
such as food and textiles, or via domestic sewage
treatment plants. Thus water unusually large
concentration of nutrients are present in water
bodies, an excess growth of algae appears. 32
This produces an unsightly green slime layer over
the surface of the water body and subsequently leads
to eutrophication. The slime layer reduces light
penetration and restricts atmospheric reoxygenation
of the water. The dense algal growth eventually dies
and the subsequent biodegradation produces an
oxygen deficit which can result in foul-smelling
anaerobic conditions.

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 5. Inorganic chemicals and Minerals

Inorganic acids
Inorganic salts
Metal and metal compounds

Inorganic Acids
Source:
a) Mine drainage (mining of sulphur bearing ores
containing lead, zinc, copper and iron sulphide (pyrite)
b) Acidic rainfall
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Effects:
a) Acids cause corrosion of metals and concrete
b) Acids are fatal to fish
Inorganic Salts
Source: Industrial effluents, salt from mines or from oil
wells, and ocean salts.
Effects:
a) Salts causes hardness of water
b) Hard water can cause scale formation in pipes, boiler
tubes and other industrial equipments
c) Fatal to fish.
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Metal
Cadmium

Source: waste streams from pigment works, textiles,

electroplating, chemical plants etc.

Permissible Level: 0.01 mg/l (drinking water)

Effects: It is not easily detectable in filtered water,
particularly if the pH is neutral or alkaline.
Itai-Itai disease in Japan was probably due to cadmium

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Chromium

Source: Waste water of plating operations, paint and dye

operation, wastewater from textile, ceramic and glass
industry.
Permissible level: 0.05 mg/l (Drinking water)
Effects: Many plant species are adversely affected by
chromium

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Lead
Source: Effluents from battery manufacture, printing, painting.
Permissible Level: 0.05 mg/L (Drinking water)
Effects: Is a cumulative poison and responsible for cancer.
Mercury
Source: Effluents of Pesticides, Fertilizer Paint and paper,
Chlorine industry
Permissible Limit : 0.002 mg/l (Drinking water)
Effects: Most toxic aquatic pollutant effects on photosynthesis
rate.

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6. Sediments
Sediments include soil, sand and mineral particles
Source:
a) By storms and flood waters
b) Deposits of sewage sludge, pulverized coal ash,
industrial solids.
Effects:
a) Pumping equipments, power turbines are affected.
b) Reduces the amount of sunlight, food etc. for water
plants, fish and other aquatic bodies.

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7. Radioactive substances

Source: Wastes of uranium refining, thorium mining,

wastes from nuclear power plants, and from industrial use
of radioactive materials.

Effects: Radioactive substances can enter humans with

food and water, and get accumulated in blood, and thyroid
gland, liver, bone and muscular tissues.

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8. Thermal Discharge

Source: Power plant industry uses large qualities of

water for cooling purposes and directly discharge to
water bodies. Consequently, the water temperature is
increased, and hot water layer at the top and cold water
layer at the bottom are formed. The hot layer denied the
oxygen transfer from atmosphere to cold water. Thus, DO
levels falls rapidly. And at high temperature the
metabolic activity of micro-organisms is increased. So,
the increase of temperature results to decrease of DO
level and to increase of oxygen consumption.

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Effects:
a) Cold water fish may dies
b) An increase in temperature also increases the
toxicity of some chemical pollutants.

9. Oil

Source:
Oil refineries, storage tanks, automobile waste oil,
petrochemical plants, tank washing.
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Effects:

a) Oil is insoluble in water, it floats and spreads

rapidly into a thin layer. This layer can prevent
oxygen transfer from the atmosphere, diseases
the DO level and creates anaerobic conditions.
b) At sea, many birds are died by oil slicks.

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