Impact assessment of nuclear power plant discharge on zooplankton abundance and distribution in coastal waters of Kalpakkam, India

Abstract

Background

Kalpakkam coastal area serves as fishing ground, influenced by anthropogenic effluents from its surrounding populations and backwaters.

Methods

The monthly abundance and distribution of zooplankton and some physico-chemical parameters were investigated in coastal waters near a nuclear power plant, Kalpakkam 2011. Zooplankton and surface water samples collected from three different locations (stations P1, P2 and P3) in the heated and non-heated parts of the coastal waters were analyzed using standard methods.

Results

Among all plankton genera in the cooling water, zooplankton was observed most sensitive group to entrainment-induced stress. Thirty genera were identified over the period of the investigation. Zooplankton population followed a trend as P1 > P3 > P2. A clear monthly variation and slight differences among stations were observed in terms of the zooplankton genera. The investigations revealed that changes in zooplankton genera across water bodies could be associated with differing temperature.

Conclusion

Our results clearly demonstrate that heated water discharge from the Madras Atomic Power Station has a negligible effect on zooplankton population at engineered canal near Plutonium Recycle Project (station P2). There is no impact on zooplankton population due to thermal effluent discharge into the coastal area (stations P1 and P3). Hence, further investigation is required to estimate the impact zone at either side during different seasons.