Impact of slaughterhouse waste on adjoining water quality

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the condition of water in rural regions surrounding slaughterhouse industries on the Mathura bypass road in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of seven villages were chosen for sample collection, with two samples from each village - one from a hand pump and the other from a submersible pump. A total of 14 samples per month were collected for analysis for their physical, chemical, and biological attributes. The study was conducted covering the dry and wet seasons so as to give the trend of water quality parameters and thereby represent a comparative analysis. Based on these findings, it can be inferred that the groundwater quality parameters have been severely impacted by effluent from slaughterhouse industries. Water samples from hand pumps showed higher concentrations of all parameters compared to those from submersible pumps, indicating better water quality from submersible pumps. Water samples from hand pumps and submersible pumps in all villages had nitrate, pH, and turbidity levels within permissible limits. Nitrates and pH were found to be within permissible limits. Some remaining parameters were found to be above and below rejection limit. As a whole it is observed that almost all water quality parameters increased during the dry season and lowered in wet seasons. However after observing the current trend of water quality parameters, it can be seen that water quality may deteriorate further due to an increase in industrialisation.