42
A. Arivoli et al.
et al. 2007; Ayyasamy et al. 2008). The sugar mill effluent are large discharges from
processes such as crushing, refining, mill house, boiling house and condensate water
(Khan et al. 2003; Saranraj and Stella 2012). The effluents discharged from the sugar
cane factory into the land and different surface water bodies not only affect the water
quality and soil but also pollute the groundwater due to the percolation of some
water-soluble pollutants (Siddiqui and Waseem 2012; Poddar and Sahu 2017). The
environmental challenges for sugar mills are associated with liquid waste, gaseous
emission, solid waste, and noise pollution (Solomon 2005b). This situation leads to
serious public health problems. Unmanaged organic waste generated from industries,
municipalities and the agricultural sector decomposes, thereafter, resulting in the
large scale contamination of land, water, and air in the environment (Chapman and
Kimdtsch 1996; Hampannavar and Shivayogimath 2010; Sahu 2018). Irrigation with
such effluent increases nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and heavy
metal content in the soil and crops (Hati et al. 2007; Chopra et al. 2012; Kumar
and Chopra 2013; Kumar and Chopra 2014). In Cuddalore district, industrialization
and urbanization have major impact on groundwater environment. Both surface and
subsurface water sources are continuously being polluted due to such developmental
activities (Newcomb and Rimstidt 2002). The contamination of both aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems caused by the excessive quantity of waste released in the outline
of effluent produces is positively alarming. These pollutants not only change the
physico chemical characteristics of the beneficiary aquatic bodies but also affect the
aquatic flora and fauna (Deshmukh 2014). However, there survives insignificant data
and information possible about the outcome of sugar mill effluent on the quality of
groundwater of this area. Considering these serious issues, the present study was
carried out to investigate the possible effects of such effluents on the quality of
groundwater in the proximity of a sugar factory.
2 Study Area
The Cuddalore district is bounded by the Latitudes 11°11
and 12°5
N Longitudes
78°38
and 80°00
E covering an area of 3678 km
2 . Cuddalore District consists
of three Revenue Divisions viz., Cuddalore, Chidambaram, and Vridhachalam
comprising ten taluks viz., Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Kattumannarkoil, Virudhachalam, Thittakudi, Bhuvanagiri, Panruti, Veppur, Srimushnam and Kurchipadi
(Fig. 1). There are 5 Municipalities viz. Cuddalore, Nellikuppam, Panruti, Chidhambaram and Virudhachalam. The headquarters of the Cuddalore district is Cuddalore
(11°44
45
N and 79°45
56
E), A large industrial town that has experienced coastal
development at a rapid rate. Cuddalore is situated about 160 km south of Chennai,
the state capital. The district is drained by Gadilam and Pennaiyar rivers in the north,
Vellar and Kollidam River (Coleroon) in the south (MOEF 2019).
A. Arivoli et al.
et al. 2007; Ayyasamy et al. 2008). The sugar mill effluent are large discharges from
processes such as crushing, refining, mill house, boiling house and condensate water
(Khan et al. 2003; Saranraj and Stella 2012). The effluents discharged from the sugar
cane factory into the land and different surface water bodies not only affect the water
quality and soil but also pollute the groundwater due to the percolation of some
water-soluble pollutants (Siddiqui and Waseem 2012; Poddar and Sahu 2017). The
environmental challenges for sugar mills are associated with liquid waste, gaseous
emission, solid waste, and noise pollution (Solomon 2005b). This situation leads to
serious public health problems. Unmanaged organic waste generated from industries,
municipalities and the agricultural sector decomposes, thereafter, resulting in the
large scale contamination of land, water, and air in the environment (Chapman and
Kimdtsch 1996; Hampannavar and Shivayogimath 2010; Sahu 2018). Irrigation with
such effluent increases nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and heavy
metal content in the soil and crops (Hati et al. 2007; Chopra et al. 2012; Kumar
and Chopra 2013; Kumar and Chopra 2014). In Cuddalore district, industrialization
and urbanization have major impact on groundwater environment. Both surface and
subsurface water sources are continuously being polluted due to such developmental
activities (Newcomb and Rimstidt 2002). The contamination of both aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems caused by the excessive quantity of waste released in the outline
of effluent produces is positively alarming. These pollutants not only change the
physico chemical characteristics of the beneficiary aquatic bodies but also affect the
aquatic flora and fauna (Deshmukh 2014). However, there survives insignificant data
and information possible about the outcome of sugar mill effluent on the quality of
groundwater of this area. Considering these serious issues, the present study was
carried out to investigate the possible effects of such effluents on the quality of
groundwater in the proximity of a sugar factory.
2 Study Area
The Cuddalore district is bounded by the Latitudes 11°11
and 12°5
N Longitudes
78°38
and 80°00
E covering an area of 3678 km
2 . Cuddalore District consists
of three Revenue Divisions viz., Cuddalore, Chidambaram, and Vridhachalam
comprising ten taluks viz., Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Kattumannarkoil, Virudhachalam, Thittakudi, Bhuvanagiri, Panruti, Veppur, Srimushnam and Kurchipadi
(Fig. 1). There are 5 Municipalities viz. Cuddalore, Nellikuppam, Panruti, Chidhambaram and Virudhachalam. The headquarters of the Cuddalore district is Cuddalore
(11°44
45
N and 79°45
56
E), A large industrial town that has experienced coastal
development at a rapid rate. Cuddalore is situated about 160 km south of Chennai,
the state capital. The district is drained by Gadilam and Pennaiyar rivers in the north,
Vellar and Kollidam River (Coleroon) in the south (MOEF 2019).