Seasonal assessment of water pollution in the Hindon River with reference to physico-chemical, microbial and Heavy metal contamination

The Hindon River is considered one of the major branches of the River Yamuna in the plain region. The river is utilized as a major water source in the populated rural area of western Uttar Pradesh. Due to the dense agricultural and industrial activity along the river, the river is becoming highly polluted. The current study involves the estimation of the water quality of the Hindon River at selected sampling locations by monitoring the physicochemical, heavy metal, and microbiological parameters. Water samples from selected sites (Town-Budhana, District-Muzaffarnagar, Village-Baparsi, District-Meerut, and Village-Surana, District-Ghaziabad) were collected in triplicate in the seasons of pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon during the year 2022-2023. Physicochemical analysis revealed significant pollution across all the sampling locations. The pH and temperature varied from 6.79 to 7.89 and 25.97 to 30.23°C, respectively, across all sites. Electrical conductivity ranged from 737.4 to 1113.34 µS/cm, color ranged from 12 to 32 Hazen, TDS ranged from 528 to 765 mg/L, TSS ranged from 65.7 to 241.67 mg/L, and turbidity ranged from 23.70 to 55.26 NTU. The range of alkalinity was 346.7 to 633.33 mg/L, dissolved oxygen was 0.76 to 4.30 mg/L, BOD was 25.0 to 206.67 mg/L, and COD was 82.0 to 456.67 mg/L. The ranges for total hardness were 316.7 to 513.33 mg/L, sulfate 12.96 to 26.16 mg/L, nitrate 8.52 to 26.98 mg/L, fluoride 0.14 to 0.44 mg/L, and total coliforms 1.43 to 4.07 × 10⁻² MPN/100 mL. E. coli was found in every sample. Sampling site-3 was found with the highest level of contamination with high ecological risk. The results show that water from the Hindon River is unsuitable for consumption and requires potential control measures.