Heavy Metals Concentration of Different Pond Waters of Berhampur City, Odisha during Religious Activities

Abstract

In many religions and mythological narrations about the genesis of world, water symbolizes the state of creation or even basic source for all living beings. The rivers and ponds are worshiped right from the time any person takes birth to its death, the entire rituals and ceremonies are associated with these water bodies. People of Odisha are observing many festivals and religious activities for array of god and goddess during whole year. Out of many, Maa Gajalaxmi pooja is being observed by different people irrespective of their cast, creed and etc. for wealth and health of their family members. Religious activities during all Thursday's of Margasira generated a huge quantity of waste materials and these are immersed into water bodies, as per deep rooted sentiment of the people. During worship different materials are offered and used for mental satisfaction and sanctity of festival. The psychology of people is that to immerse all worship materials into water bodies, thou, these are already offered. These worshiped waste materials includes many colouring materials, sindoor, abhira and etc which are contains many heavy metals. Basing on the above facts, the present study was designed to assess different kinds of heavy metals viz. Pb, Cd, Hg, Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu, Co, As and Fe. The experimental findings indicated that most of heavy metals concentrations were higher than standard values of WHO and BIS in the pond water of Berhampur city. The study revealed that there is increase in heavy metals contamination after immersion of worshiped materials into water bodies that may magnify in their concentration at different trophic levels, which finally reach the human through food chain. Higher heavy metals concentration in water also decreased the quality of water standard and disturbing the aquatic ecosystems. Heavy metal related colouring materials should be restricted which are using in religious occasions and create awareness among the people and society to use natural materials.