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Self-cleansing properties of Ganga during mass ritualistic bathing on Maha-Kumbh

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Abstract

The deterioration of water quality of river Ganga is a huge concern for Govt. of India. Apart from various pollution sources, the religious and ritualistic activities also have a good share in deteriorating Ganga water quality. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes in physico-chemical properties, microbial diversity and role of bacteriophages in controlling bacterial population of Ganga water during mass ritualistic bathing on the occasion of Maha-Kumbh in 2013. The BOD, COD, hardness, TDS and level of various ions significantly increased, while DO decreased in Ganga water during Maha-Kumbh. Ganga water was more affluent in trace elements than Yamuna and their levels further increased during Maha-Kumbh, which was correlated with decreased level of trace elements in the sediment. The bacterial diversity and evenness were increased and correlated with the number of devotees taking a dip at various events. Despite enormous increase in bacterial diversity during mass ritualistic bathing, the core bacterial species found in pre-Kumbh Ganga water were present in all the samples taken during Kumbh and post-Kumbh. In addition, the alteration in bacterial population during mass bathing was well under 2 log units which can be considered negligible. The study of bacteriophages at different bathing events revealed that Ganga was richer with the presence of bacteriophages in comparison with Yamuna against seven common bacteria found during the Maha-Kumbh. These bacteriophages have played a role in controlling bacterial growth and thus preventing putrefaction of Ganga water. Further, the abundance of trace elements in Ganga water might also be a reason for suppression of bacterial growth. Thus, the current study showed that Ganga has characteristic water quality in terms of physico-chemical property and microbial diversity that might have a role in the reported self-cleansing property of Ganga; however, the increased pollution load has surpassed its self-cleansing properties. Since water has been celebrated in all cultures, the outcome of the current study will not only be useful for the policy maker of cleaning and conservation of Ganga but also for restoration of other polluted rivers all over the world.

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Acknowledgements

C.S.N. would like to record his profound gratitude to Professor M. M. Joshi, Former Cabinet Minister of Science and Technology and Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India, for useful discussions right from conceiving the idea up to the completion of the work. S.M. is thankful to the Science and Engineering Research Board, DST, New Delhi for awarding Young Scientist fellowship (SB/YS/LS-381/2013) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, for the award of Scientist Pool.

Funding

The study was supported by CSIR-NBRI Institutional OLP Project (0091) and partially by J.C. Bose Fellowship awarded to CSN by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, New Delhi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226 001, India

    Sanjay Dwivedi, Puneet Singh Chauhan, Seema Mishra, Amit Kumar, Pradyumna Kumar Singh, Reshu Chauhan, Surabhi Awasthi, Sumit Yadav, Aradhana Mishra, Shekhar Mallick, Sanjeev Kumar Ojha, Sri Krishna Tewari, Rudra Deo Tripathi & Chandra Shekhar Nautiyal

  2. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, 273009, India

    Seema Mishra

  3. Environmental Toxicology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute Toxicological Research, Lucknow, 226 001, India

    Mohan Kamthan

  4. Doon University, Mothrowala Road, Kedarpur, Dehradun, 248001, India

    Chandra Shekhar Nautiyal

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  1. Sanjay Dwivedi
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Contributions

Site and event-wise water sample collection: SD, RDT, SM1, AK, PKS and AM. Trace and toxic metal analysis and first draft preparation of the MS: SD, SM2. Microbial diversity assessment: PSC and SY. Bacteriophage study: MK. Physico-chemical characteristic measurement: RC and SA. Statistical and Graphics: SM2 and AK. Interpretation of the data SM2. Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: SM2, SD. Logistic support: SKT, SKO, RDT and CSN. Conception, and administrative and final approval of the article: CSN.

(SM1, Shekhar Mallick; SM2, Seema Mishra)

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Correspondence to Chandra Shekhar Nautiyal.

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Dwivedi, S., Chauhan, P.S., Mishra, S. et al. Self-cleansing properties of Ganga during mass ritualistic bathing on Maha-Kumbh. Environ Monit Assess 192, 221 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-8152-2

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