Water quality problems in relation to seafood processing in different regions of india

Abstract

Seafood processing industry requires plentiful supply of potable water. Standards of water applicable to seafood industry in India are Indian Standards IS: 4251and EEC Directive No. 801778/EEC. For exporting seafood to European Union the process water should conform to the quality parameters contained in the EEC Directive. Guide level and maximum admissible concentration (MAC) for most of the characteristics are given in the Directive. 259 samples of water from seafood processing establishments located in different regions of India were studied during the three-year period from January 1999 to December 2001. These samples were analysed "for all the 62 parameters as per the methods prescribed in the Council Directive. Out of the 259 samples analysed 35% of the samples were found to conform to the Directive (Gujarat 53%, Maharashtra 58%, Karnataka 10%, Kerala 36%, Tamil Nadu 24% and Andhra Pradesh 26%). The rest of the samples were found to have one to nine defects. 32% of the samples were found to have one defect (Gujarat 37%, Maharashtra 31%, Karnataka 50%, Kerala 30%, TamilNadu 32% and Andhra Pradesh 34%). In all the samples analysed out of the 62 parameters 24 parameters exceeded the MAC prescribed in the Council Directive. The percentage of the samples which exceeded the MAC prescribed for phosphorus is 31 (Gujarat 21%, Maharashtra 19%, Karnataka 50%, Kerala 30%, Tamil Nadu 42% and Andhra Pradesh 29%) and the percentage for 'pesticides & related products' is 29 (Gujarat 16%, Maharashtra 12%, Karnataka 40%, Kerala 3I%, Tamil Nadu 39% and Andhra Pradesh 29%). Treatments were suggested to the industry for rectifying the defects and most of the treatments were found to be effective.