ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS IN THE SEDIMENTS OF ANTHROPOGENICALLY DISTURBED PATALGANGA ESTUARY, INDIAB.R. THORAT, P.B. UDAYAKRISHNAN, A. GAUD2 AND RAM AAbstract The present study aims to evaluate the effect of industrialization on the heavy metal accumulation in sediments of the Patalganga Estuary. The contamination level of the Patalganga estuary is evaluated based on the enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index of heavy metals in sediment. The results depicted the minimal enrichment and contamination of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Hg in the core 1, core 2 and core 3. In core 4, minimal enrichment of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Hg was observed. Whereas, Cr, Co, and Cu were moderately contaminated and other selected metals viz. Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Hg were uncontaminated in core 4 Low to moderation contamination of selected metals viz. Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Hg was observed in all the selected cores, i.e. Core 1, core 2, core 2, core 3, and core 4. Significant correlation of selected metals with silt, clay and organic carbon inferred that they are concentrated in fine-grained particles and are released from a common source. The heavy metals are likely to be introduced to the system through industrial effluents as organometal complexes through anthropogenic activities. The texture of at cores 2 and core 3 were sandy-silt that increased to surface, whereas core 4 was mainly silty that increased to surface. Organic carbon levels in all the cores showed an increasing trend from bottom to surface. Overall results indicated moderate contamination of Patalganga sediment with anthropogenic sources it may be due to the industrial waste from multiple industries in the region. |