Application of GIS in the study of mass transport of pollutants by Adyar and Cooum Rivers in Chennai, Tamilnadu

Abstract

Residential, industrial, commercial, institutional and recreational activities discharge degradable and non-degradable wastes that reach the coastal water through rivers and cause coastal pollution. In the present study, mass transport of pollutants by Adyar and Cooum Rivers to the coastal water as a result of land-based discharges was estimated during low tide. The lowest and the highest flow recorded in Adyar varied from 514.59 to 2,585.08x10(6) litres/day. Similarly, the flow in Cooum River fluctuated between 266.45 and 709.34x10(6) litres/day. The present study revealed that the Adyar River transported 53.89-454.11 t/d of suspended solids, 0.06-19.64 t/d of ammonia, 15.95-123.24 t/d of nitrate and 0.4-17.86 t/d of phosphate, 0.004-0.09 kg/d of cadmium, 0.15-1.29 kg/d of lead and 3.03-17.58 kg/d of zinc to the coastal water owing to its high discharge. Similarly, the Cooum River transported 11.87-120.06 t/d of suspended solids, 0.08-58.7 t/d of ammonia, 6.11-29.25 t/d of nitrate and 0.66-10.73 t/d of phosphate, 0.003-0.021 kg/d of cadmium, 0.02-0.44 kg/d of lead and 1.36-3.87 kg/d of zinc. A higher concentration of suspended solids was noticed in post monsoon and summer months. An increase in the mass transport of ammonia, nitrate, phosphate in summer months (April and May) and an increase in the mass transport of cadmium, lead and zinc were observed in monsoon months (October-December) in both the rivers. Thus mass transport of pollutants study reveal that Cooum and Adyar Rivers in Chennai contribute to coastal pollution by transporting inorganic and trace metals significantly through land drainage.

Establishing Criteria of Relative Abundance of Alkyl Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) for Differentiation of Pyrogenic and Petrogenic PAHs: An Application to Indian Sediment

“…A total of 58 drain outlets discharge into Adyar and approximately 0.775 million L/day of industrial effluents and 8.1 million L/day of domestic sewage are allowed to flow into the Adyar River (Gowri and Ramachandran, 2001). The present capacity of the river is 39,000 m 3 /s whereas the anticipated flood discharge capacity is approximately 60,000 m 3 /s (Gowri et al, 2008). The river is almost stagnant except during the rainy season.…”

Identification and evaluation of hydrogeochemical processes on river Cooum, South India

“…Multielement Perkin-Elmer standard solutions were used for the estimation of trace metals. The flow in river Cooum was found to be between 266.45 and 709.34 × 106 l/day (Gowri et al 2008).…”

Urban Sprawl Detection Using Remotely Sensed Data: A Case of Chennai, Tamilnadu

“…It covers an area of about 42,600ha. Due to the high urbanization in the Chennai district, most of the residential amenities, industries and factories, universities, and educational institutes are moving toward the periphery of Tiruvallur (North Chennai) and Kanchipuram (South Chennai) districts [21]. For this reason, this study also covers the 10km adjacent area of Chennai city (82,488.16ha) from Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram district for analyzing urban sprawl.…”

“…The city of Chennai, India has been one of the fastest growing urban areas in the country in the last three decades. This has resulted in traffic congestion, air and water pollution, uncontrolled increase of population, encroachment, water and land scarcity, the growth of slums, and the degradation of vegetation within and in the peripheral areas of the city [21]. Thus, such a study would benefit urban planners that need to understand the spatiotemporal changes of urban areas to better address these environmental problems and, at the same time, to ensure the provision of basic infrastructures and facilities without disturbing ecosystems.…”