Perchlorate and chlorate contamination associated with fireworks in Kerala, India

Firework displays are an integral part of festivals. Kerala is a host of innumerable firework displays. Perchlorate is used as an oxidizer in fireworks. Water samples and soil samples collected after firework display in selected sites of Kerala were analyzed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Both soil and water samples after the firework display were found to be contaminated with perchlorate. Average perchlorate in soil ranges from below detectable limits to 20451.14 ppb and in water from below detectable limits to 7.23 ppb. Perchlorate in soil was found to be maximum on the third day after the fireworks display. The present study gives an awareness of the perchlorate contamination resulting from the fireworks display in Kerala.