Analytical Studies on Prawn Farm Wastewater Generated At Thiruperunthurai Area Of The Batticloa

Abstract

The world's aquaculture industry has in recent times grown rapidly to satisfu the demand for seafood, which cannot be met by wild fisheries trariiesting. Uncontrolled expansion of aquaculture industries has fofsome countries like Sri Lanka, resulted in adverse environmental impacts and dbgradation of coastal environments. Prawn farms near the coabtal area of Sri Lanka are one of the profit-oriented industries and those are constrained by problems related to environmental degradation. This study was undertaken in 2004 and examined the wastewater from the prawn farms located at the Thiruperunthurai area of the Batticaloa district. Quality parameters such as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Turbidity, Nitrate, Phosphate, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), pH, Temperature and Salinity were monitored in the prawn farm wastewater. The wastewater discharged from the prawn farms to the Batticaloa lagoon showed that relatively higher concentrations ofTSS, Turbidity, COD and Salinity with mean concentrations of 34833 mgll,94 FAU, 1451 mg/l and25%o" respectively. Further, large volume of prawn farm wastewater was discharged directly to the lagoon water without any treatment processes. Therefore, lagoon water in Batticaloa showed high turbidity values and found some algal growth near the prawn farms. It is proposed that secondary treatment systems or wetlands to be introduced to improve the quality of prawn farm effluents before discharged into the lagoon to minimize the environmental impact ofthe prawn farm industry