Pollution Research Paper

COMPARATIVE BEFORE AND AFTER LOCKDOWN SITUATION DURING COVID-19 STUDY OF WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS OF SHEONATH RIVER

PRADEEP KUMAR GHOSH, V. HIMA BINDU AND SANTOSH KUMAR SAR

Abstract

The present study deals with the assessment of water quality of surface water and Nallah water (Drain water) before and after the lockdown situation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Water quality monitored from a few places in the Chhattisgarh region, which includes Sheonath river and drain water. This study includes the comparison of water quality during summer, winter, and after lockdown situation. Total Nineteen parameters such as pH, TDS (ppm), EC (μS/cm), ORP (mV), Temperature (ºC), Salinity (ppm), DO (ppm), F- (ppm), Cl- (ppm), NO3- (mg/l), SO42- (mg/l), PO43- (mg/l), Total hardness (mg/l), Calcium hardness (mg/l), Magnesium hardness (mg/l), Phenolphthalein alkalinity (mg/l), Total Alkalinity (mg/l), Bicarbonate (mg/l) and Carbonate (mg/l) were analyzed for the assessment of the water quality of samples. The present investigation shows that the values of all measured water quality parameters decreased in COVID-19 situation due to lockdown except one parameter that was dissolved oxygen. Values of dissolved oxygen before and after COVID-19 condition showed that pollution levels decreased during COVID-19 pandemic conditions, and dissolved oxygen value increased. The water quality become better during the COVID-19 situation; this is due to the fact that the people are staying inside of houses in lockdown situation and restricted to go outside. This lockdown situation prevents the pollution in surface water as all human activities such as dumping of waste materials near surface water is restricted. The present investigation also involved the correlation and cluster analysis, which were prepared by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The present study is the first study for this region, which indicates the water quality from surface water before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will help to estimate the status of surface water quality without the interference of human activity and beneficial to prepare future strategies to protect the surface water body.