Application of Water Quality Index (WQI) for groundwater quality assessment of Biratnagar, Nepal

This present hydrological study assessed the groundwater quality of Biratnagar Metropolitan by the application of Water Quality Index (WQI). It has been determined on the basis of analyzed groundwater samples for some important physicochemical parameters such as pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), free carbon-dioxide (FCO2), bicarbonate (HCO3), total hardness (TH), phosphate (PO4-P), nitrate-N (NO3-N), arsenic (As), and fluoride (Fl) collected from 110 representative tube wells during post-monsoon period of 2015. The status of fluoride was below detectable level (BDL) in all the analyzed groundwater samples. The WQI for these samples ranged from 84.54 to 403.14. The high value of WQI has been found mainly due to the higher values of turbidity, FCO2 and arsenic in the groundwater. The results of study have been used to recommend models for predicting water quality. The classification of water quality on the basis of WQI value have been found to be good water (18.18%), poor water (59.09%), very poor water (13.64%) and unsuitable for drinking (9.09%). The result of the study suggests that the groundwater of the area needs some degree of treatment before consumption, and it also needs to be protected from the threat of contamination. The groundwater is one of the major source of drinking water as well as for irrigation in study area.

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Formation Mechanism of Strontium-Rich Groundwater in Shijiazhuang, North China Plain

Strontium is a kind of trace element. Groundwater containing strontium is called mineral water when its content reaches a level that is beneficial for human physiology. Some groundwater resources in Shijiazhuang are rich in strontium. In this study, groundwater samples collected from 103 sites were studied for the hydrochemical characteristics of strontium and its formation mechanism in the groundwater system in Shijiazhuang City. The methods of source provenance analysis, factor correlation analysis, and runoff condition analysis were carried out in the study. The results showed that the content of strontium in eastern Shijiazhuang is higher than 0.229 mg/L, with a maximum content of 1.942 mg/L. The source of strontium is the dissolution of strontium-containing minerals in carbonate rock, sheet hemp rock, clastic rock, and granite in the Taihang Mountain area of the Hutuo River Basin. Strontium is positively correlated with total dissolved solids, bicarbonate, calcium magnesium, and free carbon dioxide. The erosion ability of groundwater strengthens the dissolution of strontium, and the geochemical action is mainly due to the dissolution. The enrichment and distribution of strontium are related to the conditions of groundwater runoff. Areas with good runoff conditions and strong mining are low in strontium, while areas with poor runoff conditions have high strontium content.

Acute Toxicity of Tuber Peels of Tacca leontopetaliodes on the Biochemistry and Histology of Gills and Liver of Clarias gariepinus Juveniles

Background: Increased rate of water pollution has detrimental effects on the health of fish and other aquatic organisms. This invariably affects humans by causing food insecurity, hunger and poverty. In an effort to curb this menace, this study investigated the effects of crude tuber peel extract of Tacca leontopetaliodes on the biochemical and histological parameters of Clarias gariepinus. Methods: Acute toxicity (96 hr . LC50) test was conducted after a range finding test from which definitive test concentrations of 5.00, 4.00, 3.00, 2.00, and 1.00 g/L were obtained with 0.00 g/L as control. One hundred and twenty (120) mixed sex C. gariepinus fingerlings (mean weight, 12.5 g ± 0.5; length, 13.2 cm ± 0.5) were administered definitive concentrations of crude tuber peel extract in duplicate replication. Water quality parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, free carbon dioxide, alkalinity), tissue enzymes (Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and histopathological assessments were analysed using standard procedures. Results: Physico-chemical parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, free carbon dioxide and alkalinity) of test tanks containing graded concentrations of T. leontopetaliodes were significantly altered (p<0.05) compared to the control tank. Similarly, the profile of hepatic enzymes (ALP, AST and ALT) displayed marked progressive dose-dependent increase levels relative to the control. Histopathological examination revealed graded deterioration of gills and liver architecture with increase in the strength of the extract T. leontopetaliodes Conclusion: The crude tuber peel extract of T. leontopetaliodes is toxic to fish, thus, washing, processing and discard of T. leontopetaliodes in and around riparian systems should be discouraged.

Influence of physico-chemical characteristics on the primary productivity of Nworie River, Imo State, Nigeria

A twelve-month study was conducted to examine the influence of physico-chemical parameters on the primary production of Nworie River to assess its suitability for fish culture. Water samples were collected from three stations along the river course and examined for various parameters. Data collected were analyzed using multivariate analysis, stepwise linear regression and spearman correlation while Tukey’s honestly significant difference was used to separate the means. Results showed that water temperature was significantly different (p<0.05) at all stations and were within normal range for fish culture. Similar observation was made in, the levels of conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrogen-nitrate, free carbon dioxide, depth, chlorine, hardness and primary productivity. The levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) and phosphate-phosphorus were not significant (p>0.05) but within normal range for fish culture. Alkalinity and pH showed significant differences (p<0.05) in all stations during the study. In Station 1, alkalinity and pH levels were 8.06±1.9mg/l and 5.4±0.3mg/l respectively. Heavy metal concentrations recorded revealed that the levels of Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd), and Zinc (Zn) were significantly different (p<0.05) in all stations and were within permissible limit for fish culture while the level of lead (6.72±0.78 – 7.540.36mg/l) was not. The regression analysis revealed that variables in DO, TDS, free CO2, Cd, and depth influenced primary productivity and were both positively and negatively correlated at 5% and 1% probability levels respectively. The authors thus concluded that Nworie River may not support aquaculture development until some ecological situations are remedied. Keywords: Physico-chemical parameters, Aquaculture development, Nworie River, Fish culture

Limnological survey of dhaka-narayanganj-demra (dnd) dam area wetlands

Present investigation was conducted to assess the physicochemical characteristics of water and its suitability for fish production at Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra (DND) dam wetlands. Data were collected at eight points of the study area between March 2014and February 2015on temperature, transparency, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and free carbon dioxide (CO2) in the water. The average maximum water temperature, transparency, pH, DO, free CO2, hardness were recorded as34.6±0.4°C, 40.3±0.8cm, 7.9±0.06, 7.6±0.4 mgL-1,85.6±6.6 mgL-1 and 491.2±76mgL-1while minimum average were found as26.3±1.0°C,7.1±0.2 cm, 7.4±0.05, 5.9±0.3 mgL-1, 11.9±0.8 mgL-1 and 87.6±11.3 mgL-1respectively.All the water parameters were found in favourable condition for optimum freshwater fish production with some modification. This study can be the baseline data toward fresh fish supply and production prospect in the Dhaka city at wetland of the DND canal area. Bangladesh J. Zool. 48(1): 93-103, 2020

Efficacy of Aqueous Crude Fruit Extract of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) in Anaesthetization of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Fingerlings

Chemicals have been used to anaesthetize fish but due to their hazardous effects on the environment, fish and humans environmentally friendly plant anaesthetics are being sought. Fruit of Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) is nontoxic to humans but has been reported to have anaesthetic potentials on fish. This study investigates anaesthetic effect of aqueous crude fruit extract of B. aegyptiaca on African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings. Phytochemical and proximate compositions of the fruit were screened. Exactly 120 C. gariepinus fingerlings (mean weight 32.13±2.43g and mean total length 23.88±2.11cm) were used for the experiment. A total of 10 fingerlings were exposed to each of 2.00, 2.50, 3.00, 3.50 and 4.00g/L concentrations of aqueous crude fruit extract of B. aegyptiaca and a control in 6 plastic tanks (45x28x25cm) filled with 10L of tap water. Setup was arranged in randomized block design and replicated. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, free carbon dioxide and total alkalinity were monitored. Results revealed long mean induction (25.05±3.35 min) and recovery (108.35±2.45 min) times with resultant mortalities (40%) of C. gariepinus fingerlings. significant correlation (P<0.01) exists between concentration of the fruit extract and induction time as well as between fruit extract concentrations and survival of fingerlings. Aqueous crude fruit extract of B. aegyptiaca is, therefore, not effective for anaesthetization of C. gariepinus fingerlings hence should be avoided. Keywords: Anaesthetic, Balanites aegyptiaca, Clarias gariepinus

Assessment of Traditional Rice Beer Quality Manufactured by Different Ethnic Tribes of Assam, India

Ethnic communities of North-East India consume various traditional beverages which are mostly prepared by fermentation of rice of their own. Many ethnic communities reside in Assam, India and the consumption of fermented drinks is always considered to be their culture and existence of the ethnic tribes. In present work, eight different rice beer samples are collected from different parts of Assam representing Ahom, Mising and Karbi community. The samples are characterized with respect to various physico-chemical analysis and microbiological parameters. In present work, the methodologies for the process of preparation of rice beers by different ethnic communities are also carefully observed and properly documented. It has been observed that all the samples are acidic in nature and the pH values are ranged from 2.83-5.05, while conductance ranged from 0.028-1.86 ms/cm. The amount of free carbon dioxide varies from 0.105 g/L to 6.81g/L. The amount of hardness varied from 0.012 g/L to 0.38 g/L. The sugar content of various rice beers ranged from below detection limit (BDL) to 4.4 g/100 mL while the percentage of ethanol varies from 2.2 to 5.7 g/100 mL. The correlation matrix study also shows a good positive correlation between conductance and TDS, hardness, free CO2 and bicarbonate alkalinity. In this study, no coliform bacterial contamination appeared while the colony forming unit ranged from 0.3 × 105 to 1.68 × 105 cfu mL-1.

Spatio-temporal variation of fish assemblages in Babai River of Dang district, Province No. 5, Nepal

Spatial and temporal variation of fish assemblages were investigated seasonally from October 2018 to May 2019. Fish assemblages were agglomerated with environmental variables both to spatial and temporal scales. Water temperature, dissolved Oygen, free carbon-dioxide, pH and water velocity of water of each site were measured. Based on analysis of similarities (ANOSIM), fish assemblages were significantly different in spatial variation but not in temporal variation. A total of 1,024 individuals belonging to 5 orders, 9 families and 15 genera and 24 species were collected. The dominated species were Puntius sophore, followed by P. terio, P. ticto and Barilius bendelisis. The Redundancy Analysis (RDA) vindicated that environmental variables of water temperature, pH, water velocity and free carbon-dioxide were found to be contributed variables to shape the fish assemblage structure of Babai River. The cluster analysis delineated that similarity between fish species decreases as the distance of sites increased.