Morbidity variations in Jaffna society - a pre-Covid scenario against – regional disparity and socio-economic status

Abstract

Sainthamaruthu coastal lagoon is situated at the southern end of Kalmunai Municipal Council, which is one of the potential resources for waterfront development in Kalmunai and represents a typical geographical feature in the eastern part of Sri Lanka. However, due to various anthropogenic activities lagoon faces a threat of pollution. Identification of water pollutants in a lagoon is vital for conservation and sustainable utilization. The present study aimed to examine the spatiotemporal variations of surface water quality of Sainthamaruthu lagoon and to evaluate pollution levels of the lagoon concerning physicochemical water quality parameters. Data were collected biweekly in 2022 where the precise location of each location was recorded using a portable GPS unit. Samples were collected using clean high-density plastic bottles. The pH, water temperature, electric conductivity (EC), salinity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Solids (TS), Total Suspended Solid (TSS), turbidity, hardness, and alkalinity were tested and data were analyzed statistically to interpret the results. The results showed that the spatial variation in every location was fluctuating in all parameters with increasing and decreasing trends and temporal variation of all parameters have shown significant (p < 0.05) differences within the studied period except for turbidity, DO, TS, and alkalinity. This study concludes that the Sainthamaruthu lagoon has been polluted and measures should be taken to prevent the pollution for sustainable use of the lagoon in the future.