1Ph. D. Research Scholar, Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College (Autonomous), Chennai-05
2Professor and Head, Department of Biotechnology, University of Madras, Chennai-25
Online published on 8 May, 2017.
Arsenic is most toxic and carcinogenic chemical element and it is regarded by WHO as first priority pollutant. Arsenic is of concern in water treatment because of its health effects to the Human beings. This study was undertaken to understand the severity of the arsenic crisis in Murshidabad, one of the nine arsenic-affected districts in West Bengal, India. Five hand tube well water samples, one drinking water sample, one soil sample and four river water samples were collected from Murshidabad and analyzed for arsenic concentration by FI-HG-AAS method. Physio-Chemical parameters of the water samples were analyzed by YSI-field portable water analyzing kit. Microalgal samples were also collected from the water sampling sites and photographed using the OLYMPUS CH20i microscope with attached SONY digital still camera (DSC-W320) for morphological identification. Chlorococcum sp., Chlorella Vulgaris Beyerinck, Oscillatoria acuminata Gom, Chroococcus sp., Scendesmus acutus Meyen and Oscillatoria sp., were found to be most dominant species in the collection sites. Arsenic concentration analyzed in water samples Behrampur was having highest arsenic concentration 0.011 mg/l. Lowest arsenic concentration in analyzed water samples (<0.005) was found at Islampur, Balighat, Lalbag, Herampur-1, Herampur-2 and Howrah. Arsenic concentration analyzed in soil sample was found to be 0.79 mg/kg.
Arsenic, Microalgae, Water, Physio-Chemical parameters
