Journal of Environmental Biology

Impact of paper mill effluent on growth and development

of certain agricultural crops

Author Details

U.J. Medhi

Pub-Kamrup College, Baihata Chariali - 781 381, India

A.K. Talukdar

Department of Chemistry, Gauhati University, Guwahati - 781 014, India

S. Deka

(Corresponding author)

Institute of Advance Studies in Science and Technology, Guwahati - 781 035, India

e-mail: sureshdeka@yahoo.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

19 November 2009

Revised received:

18 March 2010

Accepted:

20 April 2010

Abstract

The physico-chemical characteristics of paper mill industry effluent were measured and some were found to be above the permissible limits prescribed by Indian irrigation water standard. A study was conducted in pots to investigate the effects of different concentrations (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 100%) of paper mill effluent on growth and production of rice, mustard and pea for three years. The study reveals that the paper mill effluent has deleterious effect on the growth of crop at higher concentrations. However, at lower concentration (viz. 10 to 40% in rice, 10 to 50% in mustard and 10 to 60% in pea) of effluent, beneficial impact on general welfare of the crops was noticed. Growth and development was increased with increasing the concentration of the effluent up to 30% in rice, 40% in mustard and 50% in pea. Investigation showed that the growth and production of rice, mustard and pea was found maximum at a concentration of 30, 40 and 50% effluent respectively.

Key words

Toxicity, Paper mill effluent, Crop, Growth, Soil

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