Page 86 - Sugam Sarita

Photo Credit: Sanjana Kashtey

The rapidly increasing population and development of industries
create huge pressure on various water bodies and also increase

pollutant levels in the water ecosystems. Human activity either at the
domestic level or industrial level is responsible for the deterioration
of water quality. These human activities include direct disposal of

solid waste and discharge of industrial and domestic wastes, sewage
and garbage disposal, agricultural runoff, disposal of dead bodies of
plants and animals, etc. The industrial dumping of water also includes
a large number of heavy metals. These heavy metals like Lead (Pb),
Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Zinc

(Zn), and Arsenic (As) have various adverse effects on aquatic life as
well as on human health. These heavy metals interfere with normal
metabolic processes. Continuous exposure to these metals may result

in their bioaccumulation, and the function of the central nervous
system, lungs, liver, kidneys, endocrine glands, and bones may be

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