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Mangrove sediments a sink for heavy metals? An assessment of Muthupet mangroves of Tamil Nadu,southeast coast of India |
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| Authors: | Usha Natesan M Madan Kumar K Deepthi |
| Institution: | 1. Centre for Water Resources, Centre for Research, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, India 2. Department of Civil Engineering, Anna University of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Pattukkottai Campus, Rajamadam, Tiruchirappalli, 614 701, India 3. Centre for Water Resources, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, India |
| Abstract: | Mangrove forests are one of the most productive and biodiverse wetlands on earth. Yet, these unique coastal tropical forests are among the most threatened habitats in the world. Muthupet mangroves situated in the southeastern coast of India, has a reverse “L” shaped structure. Four cores were collected in 2008, sliced and subsampled at 2.5 cm length. The heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cd) and other associated geochemical parameters were evaluated to determine pollution history of Muthupet. An evaluation of the status of heavy metal pollution through the index analysis approach was attempted by computing geoaccumulation index, anthropogenic factor, enrichment factor, contamination factor and degree of contamination, pollution load index and metal pollution index. To compensate for the natural variability of heavy metals in the core sediments, normalization using Al was carried out so that, any anthropogenic metal contributions may be detected and quantified. Results of the study reveal that significant metal contamination exists, and all the metals are found to be higher than continental crustal values. The fine sediments of Muthupet vary between uncontaminated and moderately contaminated with almost no enrichment (EF < 1) to severe enrichment (EF > 10). On comparison, the core collected close to aquafarms and dense mangrove forest (C3) is the most polluted core and the core retrieved where minor rivers drain (C2) is the least polluted. |
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