Published Paper Details:

The effluent and solid waste of M/S Jayashree Chemicals Pvt. Ltd is deadly toxic and contains elemental mercury, much above compared to permissible limits. The effluent significantly changed the physico-chemical properties of water available in the surrounding environment. The effluent was deadly toxic. The maximum allowable concentration was 0.44% effluent concentration and 4.15% effluent was dangerously toxic for alga to survive. The effluent significantly affected the growth and photosynthetic efficiency of the experimental alga tested. The pigments like, total chlorophyll, total pheophytin and carotenoid content significantly decreased with the increase in toxicant concentration. Little increment of chlorophyll content was noted at sub-lethal concentration. Partial recovery was noted when the alga was exposed to maximum allowable concentration. No recovery was observed in the exposed alga after 15days of exposure at higher concentrations. However prolonged exposure to toxicant free medium helped that exposed alga to recover from stress. Dilution of the effluent can be a probable solution but the enrichment of mercury in the algal body leading to bio-enrichment. Due to bio-enrichment of mercury in the algal body with time, there is every possibility of residual mercury impacting the alga, ultimately killing the alga.