Relationship between Diatom Indices and water quality Index in environmental conditions of Cauvery river in parts of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The relationship between diatom indices and water quality index in physico-chemical variables are explored at different ten locations of Cauvery River in parts of Tamil Nadu, India. Macrophytic and epiphytic diatom assemblages in the study areas were identified from 2012 and 2013. Their relationships with physico-chemicals parameters are examined using Canonical Correspondence Analysis with forward selection and Monte Carlo permutation. The results of the present study on diatom assemblages in Cauvery River at Siluvampalayam and Koneripatti indicates moderate pollution, while at Peramachipalayam, Kottampatty, Sanyasipatti and Bhavani shows high level of pollution due to sewage, industrial effluents and dying factories. Water quality index reveals that water of river Cauvery to be unpolluted in the upstream of the city and unfit for drinking towards the downstream at Bhavani town.