Physico-chemical parameters and ichthyofaunal checklist of budhabalanga river, mayurbhanj district, odisha

The physicochemical parameters of rivers influence the aquatic species and affect their metabolism. In the case of fishes, these variations in the water parameters put an adverse effect on the fish availability, diversity and affect different organs of the fish, which may indirectly affect human health. Hence the present study was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical parameters of the Budhabalanga river and the fish availability at different sites of the Mayurbhanj district, which are frequently exposed to anthropogenic activities. The water parameters like pH, DO, turbidity, conductivity, salinity, temperature, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, and fluoride were analyzed in a periodical manner (n=3) at different sites viz. Baripada, Baruni, DangarSahi, Kuliana, Tentulidinga, Bangiriposi, Nischinta, Simila, Kaliami, and frequent sampling of the fishes were done to make a fish checklist. During the study period, the temperature varied from 23.4 to 33.1 ºC. The pH value ranges from 7.33 to 8.38 and the salinity range was 0.16 to 0.26 PSU. The DO value ranges from 6.2 to 8.75 mg/L with a turbidity range of 112.66 to 131 NTU. The conductivity value ranges from 18.66 to 36.60 µs/cm. The micronutrients chloride, phosphate, nitrate and fluoride ranges from 23 to 49.33 mg/L, 0.08 to 0.92 mg/L, 0.33 to 0.84 mg/L and 1.77 to 8.21 mg/L respectively. A total of 33 fish species belonging to 9 orders, 13 families, and 18 genera were recorded during the study period. Nowadays a wide range of pollutants from different sources are introduced to this river so periodical study on parameter estimation and fish diversity should be carried out not only to protect the river from contamination but also to secure human health.