Physico-Chemical Analysis of Fresh Water of Ropar Wetland (Ramsar site), India

Through anthropogenic activities such as dam building, river management works, indirectly through developments and disturbances in the landscape of the watersheds in particular effluent discharges and deforestation increasingly threatened the environmental integrity of freshwaters systems, world wide. In order to access the monthly and seasonally variations of “Ropar Weland”, study on various physio-chemical parameters was carried out from October 2015 to September 2017 at four representative sites (S1, S2, S3 and S4). The seasons were generally divided into winter (December to February), summer (March to May), monsoon (June to August) and autumn (September to November). Maximum amount of all the parameters except DO and free CO2 were observed in summer and monsoon season and minimum in winter season. Minimum value of DO and free CO2 during summer season is due to the higher temperature because temperature is inversely proportional to DO. Rest of the parameters such as phosphate, sulphate, magnesium, calcium were widely fluctuated according to seasons and are under permissible limits. Current World Environment www.cwejournal.org ISSN: 0973-4929, Vol. 15, No. (1) 2020, Pg. 117-126 CONTACT Saima Akhter saimaakhter.87@gmail.com Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Punjabi University,


Introduction
Human induced perturbances and hydrological conditions such as amount of precipitation, water loss due to high heat inducers can modify the physical and chemical characteristics such as soil salinity, nutrient availability, pH, sediment properties and degree of substrate anoxia. These changes in physico-chemical environment have direct impact on the biotic component of the water body. The ecological parameter of such water bodies may provide clues for understanding the key relationship which are relevant for restoration strategies. 1 Pollutions by way of mining also lead to the decrease in biodiversity. The contaminants include heavy metals, cyanide, phosphate, carbonates, sulphides, sulphates, arsenic and its complexes, nitrogen and its compounds. 2 Some heavy metals in small amounts are important for metabolic functioning but in high quantities these become toxic e.g. manganese, chromium, zinc, iron and copper. 3 Due to the non-biodegradable property of metal pollutants, the effect is long-lasting. 4 Wetlands are fragile aquatic ecosystems. Slight change in the aquatic environment causes serious alterations in various abiotic and biotic components of the wetlands. Ropar wetland is designated as Ramsar site in 2002. Now, it is experiencing rampant deforestation in the catchment area which ultimately discharging loads of silt into it. Small islands have been emerged in the reservoir area of this wetland which has drastically reduced its water carrying capacity as well as depth. Product quality and safety is greatly reduced by the environmental impacts as the variation in various water quality parameters influences management decisions in aquaculture. Pollution from the adjoining industries (National Fertilizer Limit (NFL) Nangal) is also one of the major causes of degradation of this wetland. Discharge of effluents, heavy metals, slit from cement plant and ash from the thermal plant causes mass mortality of fishes and poses a serious threat to other biotic components of this internationally important wetland. Present study about the concentration of various solutes is important which is provided by the quality of the water. A water quality renders a great help to improve its existing conditions and provides the basis for judging the suitability of water for its various usages. A continuous monitoring of water quality is essential to determine the state of pollution in our wetlands.

Materials and Methods Physico-chemical Analysis
Ropar Wetland is a manmade freshwater riverine as well as lacustrine wetland. It came into existence with the impoundment of water by constructing a barrage on the river Sutlej near Ropar town. It is situated at 30°58′-31°02′N latitude and 76°30′-76°33′E longitude ( Figure 1). This important ecological zone is located in the Shivalik foothills of the Lower Himalayas and was created in 1952 on the Sutlej River, in the Punjab State of India, by building a head regulator to store and divert water for beneficial uses of irrigation through canals, drinking and industrial water supply. The total area covered by the Wetland is 1365 ha, which includes 800 ha area of the river and the reservoir, 30 ha of forest area named as Sadabarat Forest and 30 ha under marshy plants, which serves as an important habitat for some rare and threatened species of Shivalik foothills. It is also an important staging and resting ground for migratory waterfowl. From October 2015 to September 2017 the present study was carried out for a period of 2 years. The exact sample sites were fixed by using Global Positioning System (GPS). Four sampling sites (S1, S2, S3, S4) were identified with an objective of obtaining samples for the analysis of physico-chemical parameters from this wetland. The samples of water were collected by 2 liters polythene bottle Physico-chemical parameters like air, water temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solid, total alkalinity, salinity, pH, free carbon dioxide and dissolved oxygen have been analyzed on the spot with the help of portable water analysis kit as their values are liable to change soon. The rest of the parameters viz., turbidity, total hardness, calcium and magnesium hardness, chlorides, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates and sulphates were analyzed in the laboratory by titrimetric methods using standard methodology. 5,6

Electrical Conductivity (µS/cm)
The monthly variation in electrical conductivity was observed during the present course of study at all the sites and at S1 site it ranges from Dissolved Oxygen (DO mg/l) DO values showed monthly variations at all the sites (S1, S2, S3 and S4) during the present study and at S1 site it ranges from 6.5-8.95 mg/l (7.66±0.95), S2 site 6-8.9 mg/l (7.67±0.92), S3 site 6.5-8.95 mg/l (7.94±0.80) and at S4 site 6-8. Our results are parallel to the worker who reported pH in the range of 6.93 to 7.55 and 7.5 to 8.4 respectively. 11 The growth of planktons is best favoured by a pH range from 5.0 to 8.5. 17 The seasonal variations in the pH at all the sites was also recorded and minimum (6.72, 6.36, 6.57 and 6.27) of pH was recorded during winter season and maximum value (7.92, 7.94, 7.86 and 7.83) of pH during summer season. The slightly acidic and slightly alkaline nature of pH was observed at all the sites throughout the study period.

Alkalinity (mg/l)
Alkalinity showed monthly variation during the present study from at all the sites and at S1 site it ranges from 80-146 mg/l (105.66±21.64), S2

Nitrates (mg/l)
During the present study of nitrates showed the monthly variations at all the sites. The nitrates at S1 site ranges from 0.07-0.

Silicates (mg/l)
Silicates during the present study showed monthly variation at all the sites and at S1 site it ranges from 3.86-7.1 mg/l (5.59±0.99), S2 site 2.89-6.3 mg/l (4.51±0.97), S3 site 3.82-6.55 mg/l (5.15±0.94) and at S4 site 3.72-6.25 mg/l (4.94±0.89). At all the sites minimum value of silicates was observed in the month of December 2015 and January 2017 and maximum value in the month of April 2016, 2017 and May 2016. Seasonal variations in silicates was also observed at all the sites and minimum value (4.44 mg/l, 3.39 mg/l, 3.92 mg/l and 3.81 mg/l) of silicates during winter season was observed and maximum value (6.72 mg/l, 5.7 mg/l, 6.32 mg/l and 6.16 mg/l) of silicates during summer season. A parallel trend was evidenced. 22

Conclusion
To sustain natural ecosystem and human development water resources play a pivotal role. The biotic and abiotic depict the state of an aquatic ecosystem and their abundance corresponds to the good quality of water. In order to identify magnitude and source of any pollution load it is important to monitor these parameters. There is a variation in the water parameters as the season changes the reason may be in flow and change in the temperature. During the present investigations maximum amount of all the parameters except DO and free CO 2 were observed in summer and monsoon season and minimum in winter season.