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VOL. 3, ISSUE 4 (2021)
Assessment of mountain water quality with special emphasis on nitrate contamination of Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors
Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Neha Sharma, Prince Kumar Singh, S S Samant
Abstract
Nitrate pollution of groundwater is a serious environmental issue in developing countries. The present study was aimed to evaluate the nitrate contamination levels in surface and groundwater samples collected from different developing areas in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh and these samples were analyzed for nitrate in triplicates using an ion-selective electrode method. The mean concentrations of nitrate in surface and groundwater in the study areas ranged from a minimum of 3.3 mg/l to a maximum of 16 mg/l and 4.19 mg/l to 77 mg/l, respectively. The concentration of nitrate in groundwater at Akhara, Shamshi, and Pirdi in Kullu valley has exceeded the permissible limit of WHO (>50 mg/l) and may not be safe for drinking purposes. The average intake of nitrate through consumption of drinking water by local inhabitants was also found maximum for middle age (31-50 years) population i.e., 1.89 mg NO3-N/day/kg body weight as compared to other age groups. Thus, the present study indicates that groundwater has been contaminated with nitrate which may be either resulting from human activities or natural. The frequent monitoring of nitrate contamination of groundwater in the developing areas of Kullu valley is suggested.
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Pages:11-15
How to cite this article:
Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Neha Sharma, Prince Kumar Singh, S S Samant "Assessment of mountain water quality with special emphasis on nitrate contamination of Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India ". International Journal of Environmental and Ecology Research, Vol 3, Issue 4, 2021, Pages 11-15
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