1. J. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Monit. l0(4) 249 - 252 (2000)
tO Palani Paramount Publications-Printed in India
ISSN: 0971-096-5- lU-UU- 24!,
BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF VELLORE DRINKING
WATER SUPPLY
B AI{NADURAI* AND M SHANMUGAM**
*DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY, C ABDUL HAKEEM COLLEGE
MELVISHARAM 632 509
* *.DEPAIITMENT OF ZOOLOGY, KUVEMPU I.'NIVERSTTY
JNANA SAHYADRI 577 }AI,SHIMOGA DISTRICT, KARNATAKA,INDIA
ABSTRACT
The drinking water quality of Vellore water supply is investigated, the physical inorganic and organic
chemicals of the ground water of various sources in Vellore is presented. The increase in rate of dissolved
oxygen and COD, hardness ofwater and conductivity is above maximum level ofICMR and WHO standards.
The causes and management are discussed
Key words: Drinking water, Physico-chemical analysis, Watef.
INTRODUCTION
Water is essential to man, animals and plants and without water life on earth
would not exist. From the very beginning of human civilization, people have settled
close to w4ter sources, along rivers, besides lakes or near natural springs.The
relationship between water quality and health effects has been studied for many water
quality characteristics. An examination of water quality is basically a determination
of the organism and the mineral and organic compounds contained in the water.
The basic requirements for drinking water are that it should be
* Containing no compounds that have an adverse effect acute or in long term, on
human health.
* Fairly clear (less turbid, colourless)
* Not saline
* Containing no compounds that cause an offensive taste or smell
* Not causing corosion or encrustation of the water supply system.
The Vellore District of Tamil Nadu enjoys many advantages through Palar
river. It helps the people living in the river basin to lead an easy life with its water,
available in plenty. Though it seems to be a waterless rivgr o4 its surface, there is more
water in its under earth springs. Vellore is the headquarters ofVellore Disffict situated on
the southem bank of Palm river. The total area of Vellore taluk is 938. 5 sq. lsn. It has I 28
villages including towns. Among them 16 are situated on the banl$ of river Palar.

2. =i{r
254 B ANNADURAI AND M SIIANMUGAM
On the perusal of literafure, the drinking water quality associated with various
inorganic and organic chemicals, the environmental and industrial effects were
presented.
MATERIALS AI{D METIIODS
e) Survcy Aree: Vellore having an rea of 938.5 Sq. km md a population of 2,00,000 is bping supplied w,ith ura{er
froin 3 souses: I . Kanrgrrbdhr Hesd Wulre 2. Palar Head Worka 3. Sathuvachari Head Works. theq3uuil
water from the underneefi qrings of river Palai from the main source of drinking water in the town,
b) Colleetion and analysis of water: A total of three water samples were collected frorn tfie three different
sources supplying the Vellore Municipality. About 5 liters of water were collected from esch sburce. Water
sauPles were cotrlected in sterile bottles according to sfandard procedure. The water samples were then su]{ected
to the physical and biochemical assays, using sandard assay procedures. '
pH was determin6d using the pH meter, TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) was determi4ed by condrrctivity
me&r, alkalinity wtg mgits{fttd usirg a potettiornEer, nremtlic ions usirE flffirc photgmeter, aions were determined
by visiblc sp€ctrophotorrct€r and orgcric matl wtre malf*d using BOD incubator.
)" REST}LTS AND I}ISCUSSION :
' /i
Tdda t Sofrs the phyuico-chomical constituents of grirund wa(er of various
sourc€s ofv€Iloro,Mtrnicipal tWaterSupplies. The pH ra+ge frbm 6.75 to 7.:li), colour
unitrarg€s'ftom 3.73 to 5.22, the turbidity unit ranges from 4.0g to 9.0g, the
conductivity in micro mhoVcrn 128.38 to 192.27,the total dissolved solids range from
to 9ppru the total harfuess in ppm ranges frdur 175.8 9 to 201.96, the dissolved oxygen
in ppor mngo ftom 7.07 t& 7.78, the COD in ppm ranges from 7.53 to 10.91, the
carbonate ra[ges ftom 3 [o 9 ppm, bicarbonate rrmges from 51.1 | to 64.47,chloride
rangedfrom 12.55 to 22.04,Su$hateinppmrarges-from t3.7 tol6.l6,nitrateranges
from 0.985 to 1.713:, iron in ppm ranges tbrff 0.021 tc, 0.037, calcium ranges from
117.3 ppm lo 216.7 ppm and sodium ratges toill t"OZ to 3.32.
Though our country has attained spectacular achievements in some areas of
sciense ad teohnolory, most of our rural areas and urtan areas do not have access to
safe drinking water. GovenunEnt of India throqgh various 5 year plans identified
nearfv 1,61,722 problem villages to eover for safel$rinking water facilities. :
Vellore, which is in the belt of Palar river basin is surrounded by so many
tannery industries ranging from vaniyambadi, Ambur, pernambet, Gudiyatham,
Katpadi, Vellore, SIPCOT, Ranipet till the Adyar basin where the river mixes with
the sea. Along with the basins tannery industries, dyeing rmits, pharmaceutical
indwties (like Maladi and Tirumalai Chemicals) chemical industries, Tamil Nadu
Explosives Ltd., and its allied subsidiary industries are situated
t'

3. BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF VELLORE DRINKING WATER 251
Table 1 Physico chemical constituents of ground water of various sources in Vellore. All the chemical parameters
expressed in ppm except pH, colour and turbility.
Id addition toVaniyambadi Municipality, Vellore Municipality, Walaja
Municipality etc; are brying their lever best in disposing their sewage problems to this
river. Hence naturally the river water and the groud water are mixed with various
inorganic and organic pollutants. Then, it becomes the duty ofbiologists to emrich the
water supply in these areas. ln order to rernedy this situation, a systematic survey of
quatity of watq in Vellore was undertaken. The samples of the 3 different sources
were a&alyzed at biochemistry laboratory of CAH college for 19 physico chemical
parameters and water testing laboratory, sGS Lab, Kottupuram, chemrai.
The results though concurs with ICMR and wHo standards, some of the
chemicals are present at concentrations more than the permissible limits. The water
se€,ms to be pcidic, chlorides and sulphates were wellbglow the recommended limits.
The COD flnd DO were slightly lying out of the toleitrnce limits. It is also noted that
there is increase in hardnesS of water, conductivity was found to be maximum, hon
and manganese contents are to the average line. Hence, it wQs decided in our part to
probe details into thesematters and derive a computer con,trolled potentiomatic shipping
analysis for environmental water analysis and stoc-hastic modelling of the Vellore
water r"mly., as it is done developed countries. .
.
Constituents
*
Colour (units)
Turbidity (units)
Conductivity
Total solids
Total hardness
(as CaCQ)
DO
COD
Ca$onate (COr)
Bicarbonate (as HCOr)
Chloride (as Cl)
Sulphare (u SO)
Nirae(asN)
Iron (as Fc)
Mangmese (as Mn)
Calcium(as CaCOr)
Magnoi.un(as MS)
Sodium (es Na)
Poessipn (as K)
Karugambathur
Head Works
Sathuvachari
Head Works
7.'40
5.22
9.08
t70.20
201.96
7.29
7.53
3.0
64.47
23.23
16.16
t.713
1.45
0.037
2t6.72
n4.70
4.t0
1.07
6.75
3.73
4.08
129.38
5.0
188.45
7.07
10.91
6.0
55.88
t2.55
r4.06
0.985
2.50
0.028
I 17.30
97.24
5.52
3.32
Palar Head
Works
6.85
4.24
6.71
192.27
9.0 6.0
175.89
7.78
9.r6
9.0
5r.l I
22.04
13.72
,il.000
t.20
0.02t
169.68
89.60
4.45
1.88

4. 252 B ANNADURAI AND M SHANMUGAM
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