International Research Journal of Environment Sciences________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414Vol. 4(1), 59-63, January (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 59 Rotifers in Dhanras Fly Ash Discharge Water Pond Shrivastava Shikha, Singh Akanchha and Shrivastava Lekhika3 Indira Gandhi Govt. College of Arts, Commerce and Science, Bhilai., M.P., INDIA 2,3Govt. V.Y.T. P.G. Autonomous College, Durg, C.G., INDIA Available online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 17th December 2014, revised 10th January 2015, accepted 21st January 2014 AbstractKorba is power hub of Chhattisgarh as contributes maximum to the state power share. As coal is the major source of power generation, it also leads to the generation of huge amount of fly ash, which is disposed in ash dykes. Excessive water from these ash dykes are further collected into fly ash discharge water pond for further settlement. Present study was done in fly ash discharge water pond made for such purpose in Dhanras, Korba distritc, India. For study fly ash discharge water pond was divided into four stations and samples were collected respective stations. It was found that fly ash discharge water supports the growth of few rotifers at all stations except the point of entry of discharge water into the pond from ash dykes. Six different rotifers were isolated from the fly ash discharge water pond: Eosphora sp., Proalinopsis sp., Philodina sp., Keratella sp., Epiphanes sp., Lecane sp.. Philodina sp. was found to be the dominant one followed by Lecane sp., Prolinopsis sp. was the least abundant one. Keywords:Fly ash discharge water, rotifer, physicochemical, dominant. Introduction Fly ash dyke is an embankment, a dumping yard of hot ash slurry produced as a by-product of coal combustion, which is a combination of dried fly-ash and water in ratio of 1-4 part fly ash and 4-20 part water. Fly ash particles are spherical in shape and reported as spheroid carbonaceous particle (SCP). Size of these particles ranged between 1µ-100µ. The constituents were found mostly in their oxide form while their quantity and composition depends on the type of coal burned at thermal power plant. Chemically it is composed of oxides- SiO, Al, TiO, Fe, MnO, MgO, CaO, KO, NaO, some micronutrients- Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, B, Mo and heavy metals- Se, Cr, Pd, Co, Ni, Cd, As, Hg available in trace amounts3 . The excess water from dyke goes in fly ash discharge water pond where fly ash makes bottom mud and fly ash constituent are present in soluble and non soluble form. Thus it provides a substratum for survival for incoming life form, which comes through different sources as wind, rain water, anthropogenic activities and other contaminations. Rotifers are important and commonly found soft bodied invertebrates. They are numerous in all freshwater habitats and are capable of tolerating a wide range of ecological conditions. They exhibit striking array of adaptive behavior. Like other organisms of aquatic medium, rotifer population is also affected by the physiochemical conditions of water-body. These physiochemical parameters are not only affected by the contaminations, but are also regulated by the seasonal changes, and diurnal fluctuations of particular area5,6. Through these regulating processes physiochemical parameters of water-body works as controlling factor and regulates the population of inhibiting zooplanktonic population including rotifers . Zooplankton diversity on many water reservoirs7,8 , lake9 and pond10,11 has already been studied. Fluctuation of physiochemical properties and variations in zooplanktonic population in river water after industrial contamination of fly ash was reported in many previous studies12,13. Invertebrate fauna in fly ash discharge water pond has been recently done by Shrivastava and Shrivastava14. As fly ash discharge water is different from above mentioned water bodies, present study of rotifer occurrence and survival in it water will be helpful to explore this ecological niche for commercial use. Study area: Korba is the largest fly ash producer in Chhattisgarh state, India as it has maximum number of thermal power plants operating in the state15 Fly ash discharge water (FAD) pondin the present study is situated in Dhanras village of Korba district, India. It is connected from ash dyke through inlet pipelines and thus receives discharge water from the ash dyke in the form of low concentrated slurry. Four sites selected for the present study were Station A-Inlet of the FAD pond from where the slurry containing water and fly ash from ash dyke enters in the pond, Station B-Left bank of the FAD pond, Station C-Right bank of the FAD pond and Station D - Outlet of the FAD pond from where excess of water is released to the canal leading to nearby river. Material and Method Physiochemical parameters of water such as temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) were tested on the spot. Color of water samples was recorded by visual observation. Temperature was taken with mercury filled glass thermometer pH, and DO through water testing kit and other parameters such as COD, BOD, chloride, phosphates and sulphates were measured in International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 4(1), 59-63, January (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 60 laboratory according to standard methods given in APHA16 and Adoni17 Figure-1 Showing map of study area, C.G state, followed by block map of Korba dist., Google map of site and Fly ash discharge water pond indicating all four stationsTo study rotifers, ten liter of water from all four stations were filtered through plankton net and taken to the laboratory for further study. Samples were studied in cavity slides for their observation in live condition and some samples were preserved in 4% formalin and Lugol’s solution18 for further studies. All observations were made using binocular research microscope and identification of rotifer was done using standard key given in Edmondson19 and Adoni17. Table-1 Physiochemical properties of fly- ash discharge pondS. No. Parameters Station A Station B, C and D 1. Colour Grey Grey 2. Odor Pungent Pungent 3. Temperature( 0 C) 33 30 4. pH 7.8 (8.8-13) 7.4 5. Hardness (mg/l) 169 167 6. Turbidity NTU 145 126 7. BOD (mg/l) 4.85 4.85 8. COD (mg/l) 2.3 2.2 9. DO (mg/l) 4.34 4.34 10. Sulphate (mg/l) 13.00 11.95 11. Phosphate (mg/l) 1.8 1.8 12. Chloride (mg/l) 27.99 26.49 Table-2 Distribution of Rotifer from all four stations of Fly-ash discharge water pond S. No. Rotifers No. of rotifers from stations A B C D 1. Eosophora sp. 0 15 60 10 2. Proalinopsis sp. 0 08 16 0 3. Philodina sp. 0 50 110 20 4. Keratella sp. 0 21 36 24 5. Epiphanes sp. 0 10 28 18 6. Lecane sp. 0 30 47 21 7. Total 0 129 297 93 Results and Discussion In India water bodies of different types such as estuary20 and groundwater21 has already been studied, but study of flyash discharge water is one of its kinds. Every time discharge from ash dykes imparts characteristic pungent odor, turbid grey appearance, high pH, high chloride content to the water in discharge water pond. Physicochemical analysis of water from fly ash discharge pond was done as by Rajagopal et al. had reported in their study that physicochemical conditions directly affects the inhabiting fauna22, given in table-1. Sharma has reported physio-chemical status of water directly affects the richness and diversity rotifer population. Station A- which is the inlet of the pond as totally different physicochemical properties during the discharge from ash dykes, which leads to sudden increase in the temperature to 43C from 33 oC indicates the thermal effects of ash bunds and pH in the range of 8.8 to 13.0 in the alkaline scale which normally remains near to 7.8. This station has very strong pungent odor and has grey turbid appearance throughout. The elevated temperature and pH level remains till active discharge continue and for few more time after end of discharge. Considering other three Stations B, C, D has stable temperature and pH throughout. Other factor such as turbidity of water sample from Station A was found to be 145 NTU and 126 NTU at remaining three stations. Water at station A was more turbid (145 NTU) due to more concentration of fly ash comparing with other stations. Hardness of discharge water pond was found to be 167-169 mg/l, BOD of all four stations was observed to have same reading of 4.85mg/l; COD 23 mg/l at station A and 22 mg/l at other stations. DO of all station was found to be 4.34 mg/l, which due to depletion of oxygen due to ash content in it. BOD and COD were found to be very lower as that was observed in study of fly ash contaminated Kanhan river23. The value of COD does not indicate any organic pollution. Ionic concentrations of Sulphate was found to be 13.00 mg/l at station A and 11.95mg/l in all other stations, Phosphate was found to be 1.8mg/l in all study stations and Chloride was found to be in range of 26.49mg/l at station B,C, D and 27.99 mg/l in Station A. High chloride ion levels may be attributed to the bleaching treatment of during the processing before disposal. Rotifers belonging to six different genus were encountered by microscopic observations of water samples from fly ash discharge water pond, during present study (table-2) namely International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 4(1), 59-63, January (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 61 Eosphora sp., Proalinopsis sp., Philodina sp., Keratella sp., Epiphanes sp., Lecane sp.. Considering station wise distribution, no rotifer was observed from station A, while from all other stations all six of the rotifers were isolated. This station wise distribution is given in table-2 and figure-1. Considering the table-2 maximum number of rotifers was observed in station- C (297) which included all six isolated species. This station is far from the inlet point and had vegetation at littoral zone which provided shelter and food for rotifers, Sharma reported 36 genera of that phylum dominated by littoral periphytonic monogont species , followed by station- B with 129 rotifers and the station-D with total of 93 rotifers excluding Proalinopsis sp. Station-D which is outlet of the pond and thus there is discharge of excessive water from this point time to time, makes it quite unstable for rotifers and other zooplankton to get stabilize and hence comparatively less population of rotifer was isolated from this point. At station-A no rotifer was observed may be due to fluctuating physiological conditions at this station. Considering the dominance according to table-2 and figure-2 Philodina sp. was emerged as the most dominant one as it was isolated from all the three stations and also maximum in number. This study was in accordance with the study conducted by Shrivastava and Shrivastava14. Considering station wise dominance at Station C- order of dominance was Philodina sp.� Eosphora sp.� Lecane sp.� Keratella sp.� Epiphanes sp.� Proalinopsis sp. At station B- Philodina sp.� Lecane sp.� Keratella sp.� Eosphora sp.� Epiphanes sp.� Proalinopsis sp. At Station D- Keratella sp. � Lecane sp.� Philodina sp.� Epiphanes sp.� Eosphora sp. 156010165011020213624102818304721Station AStation BStation CStation D Eosphora sp. Proalinopsis sp. Philodina sp. Keratella sp. Epiphanes sp. Lecane sp.Figure-1 Distribution of Rotifers In Four Stations   \n \r  \n  \r    \r \r Figure-2 Rotifer Dominance International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 4(1), 59-63, January (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 62 Considering percent dominance Philodina sp. was the most dominant species with 33%, followed by Lecane sp. 19%, Keratella sp. and Eosphora sp. both 16%, Epiphanes sp. 11%, Proalinopsis sp. 5%. Shrivastava and Shrivastava had also reported Philodina sp. as dominant rotifer in their study14. Rehman et al. has studied survival growth and heavy metal processing efficiency of rotifers and observed that Philodina roseola has capability to survive in the environment loaded with heavy stresses of metals24. Lecane sp. was observed as the second dominant specie in the present study. Amsha and Suresh identified 40 different rotifers from tropical reservoir Kullurchandai, and found Lecane sp. and Branchionus sp. as the dominant one25. Vaishali et al. has reported Keratella sp. and Branchionus sp. as abundant rotifer at lake Kacharali, during their bioremediation study26. Lecane sp., Eosphora sp. and Epiphanes sp. has been previously reported as eutrophic species27, 28,29 Karuthapandi et al. reported that different members of genus Lecane have wide adaptation to survival with physic chemical factors of the temporary water habitat30 Proalinopsis sp. was least encountered during the study and was about 5% of total rotifer population isolated and hence can be considered as less adaptive one. Balkhi et al. categorized Proalinopsis sp. as eurythermal species in their detailed hydrobiological study of Anchar lake31. Sharma had studied the rotifer diversity of Loktak Lake at Manipur and reported that richness was inversely correlated with pH, water temperature, rainfall, hardness, nitrate, chloride and total dissolved solids but positively correlated with DO. Similarly Shayestehfar and Abdovis studied the diurnal fluctuation in population density of rotifers in Karun river water at Iran with special reference to physiochemical properties of water. He found that physiochemical factor as temperature, water current, and dissolved oxygen affected the population density and maximum population density. During the study it was observed that station-C is the most habitable part fly ash discharge water pond for rotifer, from were all six species are isolated while the inlet of discharge water supports no rotifer when study was conducted which is in accordance with the findings of Shrivastava in published in 2006 that no life form has been yet reported in hot slurry32. Conclusion Isolation of six different rotifer from the fly ash discharge water pond indicates that it supports their growth though not luxuriantly. All six rotifers have ability to adapt themselves in such fluctuating physiological conditions. The point of addition of hot discharge water (Station-A) form ash dyke supports no rotifer population. Philodina sp. has come out as the most adapted rotifer from Dhanras fly ash discharge water pond. Keartella sp. was dominant at Station D which is the outlet. Presence of eutrophic species indicates that constituents of fly ash discharge water somewhere support the rotifers and other members of zooplanktons. Thus it can be looked forward to use fly ash discharge water for culturing rotifers but a more detailed study is needed for this purpose, which will be a part of our further study. Acknowledgement The authors are extremely thankful to UGC for funding present work under major research project. Authors are also Grateful to the Principal, Govt. VYT, PG Auto College Durg. References 1.Odgaard B.V., The sedimentary record of spheroidal carbonaceous fly ash particles in shallow Danish lakes, Journal of Paleolimnology, ,171-187 (1993)2.Rowe C.L., Hopkins W. A. and Coffman V. R., Failed Recruitment of Southern Toads (Bufo terrestris) in a Trace Element- Contaminated Breeding Habitat: Direct and Indirect Effects That May Lead to a Local Population Sink, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol., 40, 399–405 (2001)3.Kumar, V., Singh, G., and Rajendra R., Fly ash: A material for another green revolution, Fly ash India,XII, 2.1-2.16 (2005)4.Parker and Haswell, Text book of Zoology Invertebrates, Edited by Marshall and Williams, 7th Edition, Volume I, First Indian Reprint 1992, ISBN 81-239-0035-X (1992)5.Shayestehfar A. and Abdovis, S., Diurnal fluctuations in population density of rotifera in relation to some physical and chemical parameters from Karun river, Khuzestan Province, Iran, Agricultural Science Research Journal, 1(10), 272 – 276 (2011)6.Tidame S.K. and Shinde S.S., Seasonal variation in rotifer diversity of temple ponds of Nashik District (M.S.) India, International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 2(5)19-22 (2012)7.Sharma B.K. and Sharma S., Faunal diversity of rotifers (Rotifera: Eurotatoria) of Nokrek biosphere reserve, Meghalaya, India, Journal of Threatened Taxa Short Communication, 3(2), 1535-1541 (2011)8.Shivashankar P. and Venkataramana G.V., Zooplankton diversity and their seasonal variations of Bhadra reservoir, Karnataka, India, Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., 2(5), 87-91 (2013)9.Sharma B.K., Diversity of rotifers (Rotifera: Eurotatoria) of Loktak lake, Manipur, North-eastern India, Tropical Ecology, 50(2), 277-285 (2009)10.Vanjare A.I. and Pai K., Rotifers from a pond in Pune (India), with the record of Ptygura pedunculata(Edmomdson, 1939) (Rotifera: Monogononta) from the oriental region, Turk. J. Zool.,34, 417-419 (2010)11.Sharma K.K., Shvetambri, Verma P. and Sharma S.P., Taxonomy of rotifer (Rotifera: Eurotatoria) from two International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 4(1), 59-63, January (2015) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 63 perennial freshwater ponds of Jammu, Jammu (JandK), The Ecoscan , 3(3and4), 251-254 (2009)12.Mehra A., Farago M.E. and Banerjee D.K., Impact of fly ash from coalfired power stations in Delhi, with particular reference to metal contamination, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 50, 15–35, (1998)13.Mandal A. and Sengupta D., Radioelemental study of Kolaghat thermal power plant, West Bengal, India: possible environmental hazards, Environmental Geology, 44, 180–186 (2003)14.Shrivastava L. and Shrivastava S., Invertebrate fauna in Flyash discharge pond, Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., 3(7), 15-23 (2014)15.Shrivastava S., Shrivastava L., Rajput R., and Diwedi S., Fly-ash: Few facts from Chhattisgarh, Shodh Anusandhan Samachar, , 2-10 (2012)16.APHA- Standard method for the examination of water and waste water, 19th edn., American Public Health Association. Washington D.C. (1995). 17.Adoni A.D., Joshi G., Ghosh K., Chourasia S.K., Vaishya A.K., Yadav M. and Verma H.G., Workbook on Limnology, (1985)18.Kumar P., Wanganeo A., Wanganeo R. and Sonaullah F., Seasonal variation in Zooplankton diversity of railway pond, Sasaram, Bihar, Int. J. of Envi. Sci., 2(2), 1007-1016 (2011)19.Edmondson, W.T., Fresh water biology. 2edn. Edited Indian Reprint, IBS Pub. Delhi. (1992)20.Sugritha P.K. and Sheela M.S., Studies on the sediment characterstics of Manakudy Estury, South west coast of India, Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., 2(11), 78-83 (2013)21.Verma A. and Pandey G., A study of groundwater quality in urban and peri-urban areas of Gorakhpur city in India, Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., 3(1), 6-8 (2014)22.Rajagopal T., Thangamani A., Sevarkodiyone S.P., Sekar M. and Archunan G., Zooplankton diversity and physicochemical conditions in three perennial ponds of Virudhunagar district, Tamilnadu, Journal of Environmental Biology, 31, 265-272 (2010)23.Thorat P.B. and Charde V.N., Physicochemical study of Kanhan river water receiving fly ash disposal waste water of Khaperkheda Thermal power station, India. Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., 2(9), 10-15 (2013)24.Rehman, A., Shakoori F.R. and Shakoori A. R., Heavy Metals Resistant Rotifers from a Chromium Contaminated Wastewater can Help in Environmental Clean-up, Pakistan J. Zool.40(5), 309-316 (2008)25.Amsha D.V. and Suresh K.R., Diversity of Rotifer (Rotifera) with special reference to physic-chemical parameters from a tropical reservoir, Kullurchandai, Virudhunagar district, India, Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., 3(5), 80-85 (2014)26.Vaishali S., Goldin Q. and Pejaver M.K. , Occurrence of rotifers and its relation to the water quality during the bioremediation process in lake Kacharali, Thane, MS, India, ISCA J. Biological Sci., 1(3), 54-58 (2012)27.Brooks J.C., Eutrophication and changes in the composition of the zooplankton. In eutrophication, causes, consequences, correctives, National Academic Science Washington DC. 236-255 28.Pattnaik B.S., Determination of rotifer distribution to trophic nature of ponds, Indian Journal of Applied Research, 4(4), 25-26 (2014)29.Varghese M, and Krishanan L., A preliminary study on rotifer fauna of Cochin backwater, Kerela, J. Mar. Biol. Ass. India, 50(1) 119-121 (2008)30.Karuthapandi M., Xavier Innocent B., and Siddiqi S.Z., Zooplankton in a temporary freshwater pond habitat in Attapur, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, IJALS, , 22-31 (2012)31.Balkhi M.H., Yousuf A.R. and Qadri M.Y., Hydrobiology of Anchar Lake, J. Comp. Phys. Ecol., 12, 131-139 (1987)32.Shrivastava S., Biodiversity in fly ash dykes, Nature Environment and Pollution Technology, 5(4), 617-620 (2006)