Monitoring and assessment of pollution load in surface water of River Ganga around Kanpur, India: A study for suitability of this water for different uses

Abstract A study was conducted during April 2016–March 2017 to evaluate the surface water quality of River Ganga at selected Ghats (stairway in India leading down to a landing on the water) of Kanpur by analyzing the water samples for physico-chemical properties with emphasis on heavy metals. The metals detected were: Cr, Cd, Pb, As, Se, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Mo whose concentrations ranged between 27.85-37, ND-2.92, 21.85-166.62, 39.49-129.49, 3.02-23.96, 18.20-335.69 ± 9, 836-8074, 0.53-3.40, 12.41-238.70, 23.62-256.36, 54.18-213, 19.2-454.54 μ gl − 1, respectively. Of all the metals found at the study site, the concentration of Cr, Fe Cu, As and Pb in all the samples were higher than the limit prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) and World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) for drinking water, water for aquatic life and that for irrigation. The results of pollution indices, show that the river water is not suitable for drinking, aquatic life even not for irrigation uses except at Bithoor and Sarsaiyaghat where it was slightly to moderately affected and can be use for irrigation purpose only after proper treatment.