Risk Assessment of Dumped Pollutants and its Ecotoxic Effects on Physiochemical Parameters of Water in Ayapakkam Lake, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Water is an important element for all the living organisms. Despite of its abundant availability in nature only three percentage of its total is usable source for human beings. Lakes and rivers are some of the important freshwater resources. Ayapakkam Lake is one such, where the quality of water is contaminated and its ecotoxicity level has been elevated owing to the increased garbage dumping, throwing of sewage sludge into the water. Ultimately, this affects various physiochemical parameters of water, such as Hardness, Chloride, Nitrate, Calcium, Magnesium and Dissolved oxygen. So the present study aims to analyze the water parameters and its associated effects. In addition dumped garbage were also collected and segregated based on degradation property. Results obtained from the water samples of Ayapakkam Lake show greater variations than standard values. Further statistical analysis of collected waste reveals an increased amount of Non Biodegradable waste than Biodegradable. Particularly plastics were found to be in high quantity. The overall study suggests that the Ayapakkam Lake was enormously polluted by several anthropogenic activities and it has toxified the ecosystem. Especially in developing countries like India, lakes are one of the important economical and ecological ecosystems. Disturbing the Lake ecosystem leads to worsen effect. Hence, recommendation of proper waste disposal methods must be implemented.