title: BOD-DO modeling and water quality analysis of a waste water outfall off Kochi, west coast of India.
abstract: Water quality scenarios around an offshore outfall off Kochi were simulated using MIKE21 water quality model, assuming a high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD=50 mg l(-1)) effluent discharge. The discharge is introduced into the model through an outfall located at a distance of 6.8 km from the shore at a depth of 10 m. Three scenarios were simulated with different discharge rates such as 2, 5 and 10 m3 s(-1), with BOD load of 8640, 21,600 and 43,200 kg day(-1) respectively. Model simulations were carried out to estimate the assimilation capacity of the waters off Kochi for the three discharge rates. The results show that for 10 m3 s(-1) effluent discharge, the initial BOD of 50 mg l(-1) reduced to 3.33 mg l(-1) at the outfall after 48 h. High BOD values were confined to an elliptical area of approximately 8 km2 around the outfall. Based on this, the assimilative capacity of the waters off Kochi in terms of BOD can be estimated as 38,000 kg day(-1). It is suggested that offshore waters could be used as a feasible alternative to the Kochi backwaters for the disposal of treated effluent.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India. mtbabu@darya.nio.org
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: V Kesava
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vethamony
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007194:India; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D012623:Seawater; D012722:Sewage; D014876:Water Pollution
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D010100:Oxygen