IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT) e-ISSN: 2319-2402,p- ISSN: 2319-2399.Volume 9, Issue 6 Ver. III (Jun. 2015), PP 38-44 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/2402-09633844 www.iosrjournals.org 38 | Page Physicochemical Analysis of Seafood Processing Effluents in Aroor Gramapanchayath, Kerala Sherly Thomas, M.V. Harindranathan Nair and I.S.Bright Singh School of Environmental Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin -682022 Abstract : Processing effluents from seafood processing industries are the major cause of water pollution in and around Aroor gramapanchayath, Alappuzha District. It creates adverse impacts on poorly flushed receiving water bodies. The present study represents the characterization of effluents from seafood processing industries in these areas. Effluent samples were collected from different processing sites and periodic physicochemical analysis were carried out to assess the quality of effluent. The important parameters such as pH, TS, TSS, alkalinity, ammonia, chloride, BOD and COD have been studied using standard protocol APHA. The physicochemical analysis reveals that all the samples are highly organic in nature and are highly polluted and can affect the aquatic ecosystem if it is released without adequate treatment. Keywords - aquatic ecosystem, effluent, organic, physicochemical parameters, pollution. I. Introduction Global production of fish and shrimp has been showing a steady increasing trend over the last decade and this trend is expected to continue[1]. Four panchayaths of Alappuzha District were declared first in the country as town of export excellence in the marine sector are Aroor, Ezhupunna, Kodamthuruth and Kuthiathodu in Cherthala Thaluk. Spread over 45 km 2 , this continuous coastal strip which accounts for Rs.650 crore of the country’s over 6,000 crore marine exports has 47 processing plants (of which 31 are approved by the European Union) two large cold storages, 130 ice plants, 175 pre-processing centers and several unregistered house peeling practices. Regarding water supply, it is estimated that in this area, the daily consumption by these fish processing sector is around 35 Lakh litres. Various studies have been carried on the characterization of the processed products as well as the different possible modes of utilization of fish [2 - 4] and shrimp [5 - 11] processing by-products. Whereas the wastewater generated from seafood processing industries, the waste load as well as the role of wastes in the environment have not been received enough studies since long. Characterization of the seafood processing wastewater is important not only for the protection of ecosystem, but also for the sustainability of the fishery itself. Seafood processing operations generate a high strength wastewater, which contain organic pollutants in soluble, colloidal and particulate form. Depending on the type of operation, the degree of contamination may vary from small, mild or heavy for example, washing operations, fish filleting and blood water drained from storage tanks respectively. A good part of this being drained off without adequate treatment, which ultimately reaches the water bodies. This contributes significantly to the suspended solid concentration of the waste stream, which leads to serious ecological problems. It is difficult to generalize the extent of the problem created by the wastewater as it depends on the effluent strength, wastewater discharge rate and the absorbing capacity of the receiving water body [12]. Various devastating ecological effects and human disasters in the last 40 years have arisen majorly from industrial wastes causing environmental degradation [13, 14] Recently, there has been an alarming and worrisome increase in organic pollutants [15]. The waste water discharge from industries are major source of pollution and affect the ecosystem [16]. Similar to most food processing industries, effluents from fish and crustacean processing plants are generally characterized by high concentrations of nutrients, high levels of nitrogen content as ammonia (NH 3 -N; 29 to 35 mg·L -1 ), high total suspended solids (0.26 to 125,000 mg·L -1 ), increased biological oxygen demand (10 to 110,000 mg·L -1 ) and chemical oxygen demand (496 to 140,000 mg·L -1 ), and by the presence of sanitizers [17]. Several techniques are used for treatment of waste water from fish and surumi industries[18] . This study is aimed to characterize the physicochemical parameters of effluent discharged from seafood processing facilities.