Heavy metal contamination in river water and sediments of the Swarnamukhi River Basin, India: risk assessment and environmental implications

• Published in: Environmental geochemistry and health Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 609 - 623
• Main Authors: Patel, Priyanka, Raju, N. Janardhana, Reddy, B. C. Sundara Raja, Suresh, U., Sankar, D. B., Reddy, T. V. K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.04.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chromium; Contamination; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecological risk assessment; Environment; Environmental assessment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fertilizers; Fluvial sediments; Geochemistry; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Heavy metals; India; Iron; Lead; Manganese; Metal concentrations; Metals; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Original Paper; Pesticides; Principal Component Analysis; Public Health; Risk Assessment; River basins; River water; Rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Sediment pollution; Sedimentary rocks; Sediments; Shale; Soil Science & Conservation; Suspended sediments; Terrestrial Pollution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water pollution; Weathering; Zinc; Swarnamukhi River; Sediment quality guidelines; Suspended sediments; Heavy metal pollution index; Contamination factor; Heavy metal
• ISSN: 0269-4042; 1573-2983
• DOI: 10.1007/s10653-017-0006-7

The concentration of heavy metals was analyzed each of 20 river water, suspended sediments and bed sediments along the stretch of Swarnamukhi River Basin. River water is not contaminated with heavy metals except Fe and Mn. Contamination factor in sediments shows considerable to very high degree contamination with Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. The sources of these metals could be residential wastes, sewer outfall, fertilizers, pesticides (M-45 + carbondine) and traffic activities apart from natural weathering of granitic rocks present in the basin area. Principal component analyses indicate the interaction between metals in different media. The comparison of metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) in bed sediments of Swarnamukhi River with the Indian and world averages indicates that the values obtained in the basin are above the Indian averages and far below to the world averages. Average shale values and sediment quality guidelines point toward the enrichment and contamination of Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn to several fold leading to eco-toxicological risks in basin.