Chemical Ecology and Microbial Quality Assessment of Water of Recreational Hot Springs of Sikkim Himalayas

Abstract

The major recreational hot springs of Sikkim which are famous tourist destinations were selected for the current study. Physicochemical and microbial quality of all the seven hot spring water samples were examined to assess the seasonal variation for three months. Polok hot spring was the hottest among all, whose temperature reached up to 75°C. In all the other hot springs, temperature ranged from 40°C to 50°C. Piper diagram, durov plot and schoeller plot categorized these hot springs as calcium chloride type. Elemental analysis showed similar pattern of composition in all the hot springs. Various other parameters such as total hardness of water, total alkalinity, phenolic compounds, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand were analyzed and they were found to be within the permissible limits of American Public Health Association and Bureau of Indian Standards. There was no growth in any differential and selection media used for the detection of coli-aerogenes, enteric bacterial pathogens belonging to Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella-Shigella sp., Vibrio sp. and Pseudomonas sp. Hence, the hot springs of Sikkim are safe for recreational purposes.

Keywords

• geothermal ecosystem
• elemental analysis
• piper plot
• coliform test
• north-east india