Effect of thermal power effluents on the community structure and primary production of phytoplankton

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Environment International; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(93)90009-7· OSTI ID:6233264

Srivastava, N K; Ambasht, R S; Kumar, R ^[1]

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1. Banaras Hindu Univ., Varanasi (India)

Effluents discharged by the coal-fired thermal power plant at Obra (22[degrees] 52[prime] N lat. and 83[degrees] 5[prime]E long.) reach into the nearby flowing Rihand river and alter the ecological features of the river ecosystem. The temperature and pH of the receiving river water increased while the transparency, dissolved oxygen, chloride, NO[sub 3]-N, and PO[sub 4]-P decreased. In the effluent zone of the river, no phytoplankton existed during a one-year study period (January to December 1987). Chlorophycean members like Spirogyra and Scenedesmus which were present in the unaffected upstream (control site) were replaced by Bacillariophycean members like Pinnularia and Nitzschia with reduced phytoplankton density in the downstream-affected water. At the control site (average of 12 months), Chlorophyta density contributed 335 unit L[sup [minus]1] to the total phytoplankton density (774 unit L[sup [minus]1]) followed by Cyanophyta (260 unit L[sup [minus]1]) and Bacillariophyta (188 unit L[sup [minus]1]). At the affected site maximum of 112, the unit L[sup [minus]1] contribution was by Bacillariophyta followed by 90 unit L[sup [minus]1] of Chlorophyta and 60 unit L[sup [minus]1] of Cyanophyta to the total phytoplankton density (221 unit L[sup [minus]1]). Phytoplankton diversity indices and primary production were reduced in the affected zone. Chloride and PO[sub 4]-P together accounted for 54% (p<0.01) of the variability of the Bacillariophyta density, while no clear influence on Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta density was observed. Total phytoplankton density was changed by 28% (p<0.05) by chloride itself. Gross and net primary productivities were significantly (p<0.01) influenced by alteration of the NO[sub 3]-N concentrations of the water. 26 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6233264
• Journal Information: Environment International; (United States), Journal Name: Environment International; (United States) Vol. 19:1; ISSN ENVIDV; ISSN 0160-4120
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
&amp; Peat-- Environmental Aspects
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200500* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Environmental Aspects-- (1990-)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540350 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Site Resource &amp; Use Studies-- (1990-)
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ASHES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
DATA
ECOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
PH VALUE
PHYTOPLANKTON
PLANKTON
PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
RESIDUES
RIVERS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
THERMAL EFFLUENTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS