Estimating nutrient loadings using chemical mass balance approach

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Quality Management
• River Ecology

Background:

• The Hindon River, a key tributary of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, India, suffers from substantial pollution.
• Major pollution sources include municipal waste from Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Ghaziabad, alongside industrial effluents from sugar, paper, and distillery units.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the contribution of non-point pollution sources to the Hindon River.
• To analyze pollution loads across different river stretches based on land use.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a chemical mass balance approach to assess pollution contributions.
• Delineated the river system into three distinct stretches according to land use patterns.

Main Results:

• Point sources account for 95% and 81% of pollution in the upper and lower river stretches, respectively.
• The middle stretch receives no direct point source input.
• Non-point sources contribute 15.5% and 6.9% of nitrate and phosphate in the upper stretch, and 13.1% and 16.6% in the lower stretch.

Conclusions:

• Differences in pollution loads suggest contributions from uncharacterized agricultural activities, sediment remobilization, or groundwater.
• Understanding these non-point sources is crucial for effective river pollution management.