APPLICATION OF HEAVY METAL POLLUTION INDEX FOR GROUNDWATER QUALITYASSESSMENT IN ANGUL DISTRICT OF ORISSA, INDIA
Keywords:
Ground water; seasonal variation; heavy metal pollution index (HPI); industrial activities; Orissa.Abstract
Heavy metal pollution index (HPI), a technique of rating water quality, is an effective tool to
assess the water quality with respect to heavy metals. Eighteen groundwater samples were collected from
open and tube wells during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The concentrations of trace metals
such as cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were determined by using atomic
absorption spectrophotometer. The values of HPI of the samples were found in the range of 31-87 in
pre-monsoon season while 30-77 in post-monsoon season, which found below the critical index limit of 100.
The higher concentration of dissolved metals during pre-monsoon season exhibits poor quality of water as
compared to post-monsoon season. It may be due to more dissolution of metals during rock-water interaction
in relatively stagnant and low flow of ground water in pre-monsoon season.
