Impact of effluent of Pulp & Paper industry on the flora of river basin at Jaykaypur, Odisha, India and its ecological implications.

The JK Paper industry located at Rayagada discharges biologically untreated effluent more than the permissible limit prescribed by Pollution Control Board, Odisha in to the environment. The industry is seriously polluting the surrounding aquatic and terrestrial environment. No detailed intensive study was carried out by previous workers on this industry earlier. The present study aims at finding out the impact of effluent on the flora at the contaminated site. The chemically treated effluent (TE) contained significant amount of mercury and cadmium. The TE has high BOD, COD, dissolved solids and suspended solids when compared to normal river water at the site of discharge. The TE deteriorated the natural water bodies changing the physico-chemical properties of natural river water. After meeting the river water the TE was diluted after 1 km distance from the meeting point of the river. Crop plants collected from the contaminated site showed higher level of residual Hg and Cd and significant depletion in pigment was observed. Plants collected from both the sides of the treated effluent canal showed significant amount residue mercury and cadmium in the plant leaves. The plants exposed to the TE, showed variation in chlorophyll and Phaeophytin pigment content when compared to their respective control values in all terrestrial plants collected from the contaminated site. In some plant leaves little increment in the pigment level was noted but the values were not significant. The changes observed in the plant pigment might be due to heavy metal accumulation. The presence of residual Hg and Cd in crop plants and plant leaves grazed by grazing animals after absorption, accumulation and enrichment may lead to a possible biological magnification, warrants attention. Proper biological treatment, treatment of effluent by modern methods and removal of heavy metals from the effluent before discharge by the industry is suggested.
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