An integrated approach on evaluation of hydrochemical parameters of riverine systems in Trivandrum urban area along with phosphate removal studies

The present work focuses on the quality aspects of riverinesystems in Trivandrum urban area during premonsoon season of 2017along with phosphate removal studies. Altogether, 11 water samples collected from Karamanariver, Killiyar and Parvathy Puthanar canal, andsubsequently analysed for various physic-chemical parameters. In situ measurements made for finding out the parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids and dissolved oxygen, which was in the range of 6.6–6.9, 265.6–6317.0 μS/cm, 4.7–65.5 mg/L and BDL-4.9 mg/L, respectively. The biochemical oxygen demand and alkalinity were found to be in the range of BDL-3.8 mg/L and 19.5–53.7 mg/L, respectively. Other parameters such as chloride (1.4–28.1 mg/L), sulphate (177.6–585.0 mg/L), nitrite (BDL-1.95 mg/L), silicate (7.1–27.3 mg/L) and phosphate (BDL-5.5 mg/L) were also determined. The results showed that most of the hydrochemical parameters were found to be within the standard limit prescribed by BIS(2012) except hardness, conductivity, TDS and Phosphate. In general, the study was helpful in evaluating the level of pollution in Trivandrum urban area during pre monsoon season. In the application side, the phosphate removal studies from Parvathy Puthanar were carried out using a novel zirconium impregnated bentonite clay.