PROJECT PROPOSAL BY PROJECT SUPERVISOR ABSTRACT

: P.A. ANEES FATHIMA, M. Sc., : Dr. (Mrs). AMTHUL AZEEZ, M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D.,

The present work deals with a comparative study of the physic chemical characteristics along with the plankton diversity in four water bodies in and around Chennai city. In most part of the developing world fresh water supply is becoming increasingly limited due to over consumption by the fast growing population. Today many people do not have access to water, a vital element fundamental to a healthy life. The present study will be carried out for period of three months during February 2011April 2011 in four prominent water bodies aiming to determine the physico- chemical characters, Heavy metals and plankton diversity. The results obtained will be compared with the drinking waters standard of (WHO, 1984). INTRODUCTION Water has properties of dissolving carrying in solution a variety of chemicals and other matters these by contaminating it. (Nag and Das, 1992). Once polluted it becomes a direct threat to the life of both human and other organisms (Radhakrishnan et.al.,1986). According to the united nations more than once billion people already lack access to fresh drinking water. More than 1.6 million children die annually from diseases that are largely preventable with clean water. If current trends persist by 2025 the demand for fresh water is expected to rise by 56% more than the amount of water that is currently available. (Deka and Bhattacharyya, 2009). PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEA WATER Sea water is a mixture of various salts and water. Most of the dissolved chemical constituents or salts found in seawater have a continental origin. It seems that these chemicals were released from continental rocks through weathering and then carried to the ocean by stream runoff. Seawater also contains small amounts of dissolved gases. The concentration of gases that can be dissolved into seawater from the atmosphere is determined by temperature and salinity of the water. Some of the important atmospheric gases found in seawater include nitrogen, oxygen, argon, helium and neon. Some gases found within seawater are also involved in oceanic organic and inorganic processes that are indirectly related to the atmosphere (Pidwirny, 2006).

COASTAL WATER The Chennai City is the fourth largest polluted area in India, and the coastal region of this city is a typical example for uncontrolled disposal of waste water and serious pollution level (Giridhar, 2001). It is subject to amultitude of anthropogenic impacts attributable to accelerated population growth (7 million) and development of small scale industries, expansion of harbors and tourism related activities in the coastal zone, disposal of municipal wastes, industrial wastes and numerous recreational and commercial activities that not only degrade the quality of coastal water but also pose a serious health hazard to marine biotas and human (Beiras et al., 2003). The principel sources of pollutants from land-based systems include urban runoff, septic tank leakage, ground water transport, erosion and contaminated soils, sewage waste and atmospheric depositions more than half of all industrial and municipal wastes are directly discharge into estuaries and coastal marine waters (Kotti, 2005). CAUSES OF MARINE POLLUTION Accidental and deliberate discharge of crude oil into the ocean by cargo ships is regarded as one of the prime causes of pollution of the water body. Dumping of industrial wastes into ocean is another reason for marine pollution. The wastes often contain toxic materials such as mercury, dioxin, PCBs, and radioactive materials, which contaminate the water of ocean. Deposition of sediments from mining leads to ocean pollution. Trash washed into the ocean after heavy rain or floods gives rise to marine debris, which pollutes the water body. Dumping of human wastes, plastic and disposal of untreated or partially treated sewage water into the ocean is called garbage dumping. This is one of the leading causes of marine pollution. Carbon dioxide, emitted by automobiles, due to the burning of fossil fuels, leads to air pollution. The contaminated air containing carbon dioxide reaches the ocean in the form of acid rain, thereby polluting the water (Patil, 2004). Trace amount of metals are common in water and these are normally not harmful to human health. In fact some metals are essential sustain life. Cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc are needed at low levels as catalyst for enzyme activities during water containing high levels of these essential metals or toxic metals such as

arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, selenium etc. May be hazardous to human health (Deka and Bhattacharya, 2009). Iron has no significant health hazard but it is nuisance when present in excess of .3mg/l is known to cause staining of cloths and utinsils (Sarma, 1997). Presence of iron above acceptable limit in water often imparts alien taste and inky flavor. It is also discolours plumbing fixtures and causes scaling (Jain et.al.,2004). Copper is essential micronutrient but in high concentration causes taste odour and also has physiological effects in humans. (Deka and Bhattacharya, 20009) Pizzarro et.al., (1999) reported that water containing 3mg copper/L was associated with gastrointestinal disturbance in adults whereas water containing 1mg/l was not. Zinc is a nutritionally essential element. It is necessary for growth and is involved in several physiological function. During water containing zinc at levels above 3mg/l tend to be opalescent has an undesirable astringent taste. (Deka and Bhattacharya, 2009). Chromium (IV) is carcinogenic in nature and causes ulceration and carcinoma in humans. (Mohammed and Najar,1997). In well oxygenated waters chromium (IV) is the thermodynamics stable species. Chromium (IV) is more toxic due to its high rate of absorption through the intestinal tract. In the natural environment chromium (IV) is likely to be reduced to chromium (III) there by reducing the toxic impact of chromium discharges (Jain et.al., 2004). The fresh water habitat ecology is otherwise called as Limnology. It refers to the study of freshwater organisms in relation to their physical, chemical, geological and biological aspects of freshwater environment. PLANKTON Many minute microscopic plants and animals are able to spend their whole life floating in the water. The suspended organisms forms plankton. Plankton consist of any drifting organisms (animals, plants, archaea or bacteria) that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas or bodies of freshwater. The study of plankton is termed as planktology and individual plankton and referred to as plankters. The planktons are unable to determine the direction of their movements. The movement occurs due to physical movement of their environment. They are like driftwoods of destiny.

Plankton consisting of animal part is called as zooplankton and plant part is called as phytoplankton. The plankton can be classified according to size of constituents (the small size plankton called as microplankton). PHYTOPLANKTON Autotrophic, prokaryotic or eukaryotic algae that live near the water surface where there is sufficient light to support photosynthesis. Among the more important groups are the diatoms, cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates. BIOGEOCHEMICAL SIGNIFICANCE Aside from representing the bottom few levels of a food chain that supports commercially important fisheries, planktons ecosystems play a role in the biogeochemical cycles of many important chemical elements, including the oceans carbon cycle. (Scheffer, M., Rinaldi, S., Huisaman, 2003).

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AIMS In the present scenario, there is a lacunae in studies pertaining to the level and status of the physic chemical characteristics and plankton diversity specifically in different water bodies. This aspect has to be checked into as water is elixir of Life. This study will help to procure basic information will respect to Environment Impact Assessment and Pollution as well as from a platform research in the fields of Aquatic and Agriculture. The present study will be undertaken in four major marine water bodies in prominent beaches in and around Chennai city for a period of 3 months from February 2011 to April 2011. The various physico chemical parameters, heavy metals and plankton concentration will be determined and the results obtained will be compared with drinking water standards of (WHO, 1984).

OBJECTIVES Four different beaches namely Ennore, Besent nagar, Santhome and Marina were selected for the present study.

 To analyse the physico-chemical parameters of the water bodies and different heavy metals such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium and to determine the plankton concentration in the various water bodies. To compare the results obtained with the drinking water standards of (WHO, 1984). STUDY AREA Ennore is a suburb in Chennai, India. Ennore is situated on a peninsula and is bounded by the Korttalaiyar River, Ennore Creek and the Bay of Bengal. The creek separates Ennore from the Ennore Port. Ennore Port, located on the Coromandel Coast about 24 km north of Chennai Port, Chennai, it is the 12th major port of India, and the first port in India which is a public company. Ennore Port was commissioned by the then Prime Minister of India on 1 February 2001. Elliot's Beach is located in Besant Nagar, Chennai, India. It forms the end-point of the Marina Beach shore and is named after Edward Elliot, Governor of Madras. It has the Velankanni Church and the Ashtalakshmi Kovil nearby and is sometimes nicknamed 'Bessie'[1]. In the colonial era, it was a fairly exclusive place limited to ex-patriates. The beach is a prominent hang-out zone for most of the college-going crowd in Chennai. On weekends, it becomes quite an experience to find parking space on the beach roads. The beach also has found importance with families, who now no longer travel to the famous Marina Beach. There are many restaurants near the beach. The southern part of the Marina Beach is referred to as the Santhome Beach. The Santhome Church is built here which is a religious place for the Catholic Christians. Santhome Cathedral Basilica as the church is referred to, got its name from St Thomas, a follower of Jesus Christ, who came to Chennai in 52 AD. The Vivekananda House & Museum is another imposing structure here which is also known as Castle Kernon and stores ice blocks imported from the United States. 'Marina Beach ( Kalicharan ) is a beach in the city of Chennai (Madras), India, along the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Besant Nagar in the south, a distance of 12 km (7.5 mi),[1] making it the longest urban beach in the country. The Marina is primarily sandy, unlike the short, rocky formations that make up the Juhu Beach in Mumbai. The width of the beach at the widest stretch is 437 m (1,434 ft)It is the largest beach in the world .

METHODOLOGY Water samples will be collected from the four different beaches (marine water bodies) in clean polyethylene cans for a period of three months from February 2011 to April 2011and brought to the lab with all the necessary precautions. Various physico chemical parameters of the water samples were analysed following the standard methods of APHA (1989). The physico chemical parameters analysed were colour, odour, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), free CO2, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Oil and grease, acidity, alkalinity and total hardness and various trace metals will be determined using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and the results obtained will be tabulated and compared with a drinking water standards of (WHO, 1984). Plankton concentration is determined REFERENCES APHA, 1989. Standard methods for examination of water and waste water 17th (ed). American Public Health Association, Washington DC., USA. Berias, R., Bellas, J., Fernandaz, Z., Lorenzo, J.Z and Cobelo- Garcia. 2003. Assessment of coastal marine pollution in Galicia, metal concentrations in sea water, sediments and mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) versus embryo larval bioassays using Paracentrotus lividus and Ciana intestinalis. Mar Environ Res 56: 531-533. Deka, G and Bhattacharrya, K.G. 2009. Metal cations present in drinking water samples in and around Rangia town, District Kamrup, Assam. IJEP. 29(8): 681689. Giridhar, V.V 2001. Coastal ocean pollution monitoring program. In proceedings of the UGC course on Marine sciences and environment. Department of Applied Geology, University of Madras, Chennai, India. Jain, C.K., Kumar, S and Rao, Y.R.S. 2004. Trace element contamination in a coastal aquifer of Andhra Pradesh. Poull Res. 23(1): 13-23. Kotti, M.E., Vlessidis A.G., Thanasoulias N.C., Evmiridis N.P. 2005. Assessment of river water quality in Northern Greece, Water. Res. Manage 19: 77-94. Nag, J.K and Das, A.K.1992. Metal contains in drinking water studies on Burdwan district. IJEP. 12(9): 641-645.

 Patil S.M and Hande R.S. 2004. A profile of physic-chemical aspects of pollution in water of patal Ganga Creek and Arabian sea of raigad district, Maharashtra. Poll Res. 23(4): 717-720. Pidwirny, M. (2006). Physical and chemical characteristics of sea water. Fundamentals of physical Geography, 2nd Edition. Radhakrishna, B.P and Ramachandran, K.K. 1986. Indias environment problems and perspectives. Geological Society of India, Bangalore. Sarma, H.P. 1997. Quality of drinking water Darrang district with particular reference to Mangaldai Subdivision. Ph.D. thesis. Gawhati University, Gawhati. Scheffer, M., Rinaldi, S., Huisman, J. and Weissing, F.J (2003). why plankton communities have no equilibrium : solutions to the paradox. Hydrobiologia 491, 9-18.

JUSTICE BASHEER AHMED SAYEED COLLEGE FOR WOMEN (AUTONOMOUS) CHENNAI - 600 018. RE-ACCREDITED WITH A PLUS STATUS BY THE NACC

PG & RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY

PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR M.Phil., ZOOLOGY 2010-2011

TITLE

By

P.A. ANEES FATHIMA, M.Sc.,