Enrichment of trace metals in surface sediments from the northern part of Point Calimere, SE coast of India

This study deals with the geochemical nature of distribution, enrichment of total trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Cd) in bulk sediments and its association with sediment texture, carbonates and organic carbon. Sixty surface sediment samples were collected during two different seasons in 2002 and 2003 along the coastal regions in three transects from Nagapattinam town, north of Point Calimere in southeast coast of India. The sediments are mostly sandy silt and are dominated by the carbonate content. Organic carbon distribution indicates that they are brought in by the minor river input. Enrichment of trace metals is clearly identified by the domination of Pb, Zn, Cd with high values than the average crustal values and comparison of trace metals from other coastal regions in the southeast coast of India. Statistical analysis clearly indicates that Fe and Mn control the distribution of trace metals and are concentrated in the finer particles and organic carbon fraction. The increase in concentration signifies the need for regular monitoring of the offshore coastal region in southeast coast of India which was recently destroyed by the 2004 December tsunami event, and which is also located near the Sethu Samuthram Ship Canal Project.     

Anthropogenic influences on toxic metals in water and sediment samples collected from industrially polluted Cuddalore coast,Southeast coast of India

The present study was carried out to investigate the impact of anthropogenic influences on Cuddalore coast, Southeast coast of India, with regard to physicochemical parameters and heavy metal concentration in the surface water and sediment samples of the study area. The samples were collected in different seasons of the year (January–December 2010) and analysed for physicochemical parameters (Temperature, pH, salinity, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, phosphate and silicate) and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) using standard methods. Results showed that physicochemical characteristics and heavy metals concentration in the samples of the study area were varied seasonally and spatially. The concentrations of heavy metals in water and sediment samples of the study area were higher in the monsoon season compared with those of other seasons. The heavy metal concentration in collected samples was found to be above WHO standards. The order of heavy metals in water and sediment samples was Pb > Cu > Cd > Zn. The heavy metal data were analysed through widely using multivariate statistical methods including principle component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). CA classified the sampling sites into three clusters based on contamination sources and season. The PCA revealed that the season has a huge impact on the levels, types and distribution of metals found in water and sediment samples. The study also shows the main basis of heavy metals pollution at Cuddalore coast is land based anthropogenic inputs as a result of discharging of waste from industries, municipal, agricultural activities and sewage into estuarine regions, which carries the wastes into coastal area during tidal action. Statistical analyses and experimental data revealed that the Cuddalore coast may cause health risk to the recreational users and fisher folk, ultimately warrants environmental quality management to control heavy metal contamination.     

Heavy metals in nearshore sediments of Kalpakkam,southeast coast of India

Kalpakkam, a tiny fishing hamlet dotting the east coast, halfway between Chennai and Pondicherry has become prominent due to the Madras Atomic Power Station. The present study aims at assessing the spatial and temporal distribution pattern of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Fe) from 12 stations along the inner shelf of Bay of Bengal, India, during pre-monsoon (PRM), monsoon, and post-monsoon (POM) seasons. The order of occurrence of the metals in sediments of Kalpakkam is Cr > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cd (excluding Fe since unit is in %) and exhibits a unique seasonal pattern with the highest values (average) during POM except for Cd which shows highest (average) concentration during PRM. In order to determine the sample association according to their geochemical composition and their granulometric characteristics, a correlation matrix was generated and sediment pollution indices viz., sediment enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index were computed. The results confirm anthropogenic input of Cd to nearshore sediments of Kalpakkam. Sources of Cd can be attributed to dredging activities at Edaiyur, direct dumping and sewage sludge from anthropogenic activities, which reach the study area through the Buckingham Canal opening at the backwaters—Sadras and Edaiyur, and extreme use of antifouling paints by fishing trawlers.     

Distribution and enrichment of trace metals in marine sediments of Bay of Bengal,off Ennore,south-east coast of India

In order to avoid the pollution of trace metals in marine environment, it is necessary to establish the data and understand the mechanisms influencing the distribution of trace metals in marine environment. The concentration of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Co and Cd) were studied in sediments of Ennore shelf, to understand the metal contamination due to heavily industrialized area of Ennore, south-east coast of India. Concentration of metals shows significant variability and range from 1.7 to 3.7% for Fe, 284–460 μg g⁻¹ for Mn, 148.6–243.2 μg g⁻¹ for Cr, 385–657 μg g⁻¹ for Cu, 19.8–53.4 μg g⁻¹ for Ni, 5.8–11.8 μg g⁻¹ for Co, 24.9–40 μg g⁻¹ for Pb, 71.3–201 μg g⁻¹ for Zn and 4.6–7.5 μg g⁻¹ for Cd. For various metals the contamination factor (CF) and geoaccumulation index (I _geo) has been calculated to assess the degree of pollution in sediments. The geoaccumulation index shows that Cd, Cr and Cu moderately to extremely pollute the sediments. This study shows that the major sources of metal contamination in the Ennore shelf are land-based anthropogenic ones, such as discharge of industrial wastewater, municipal sewage and run-off through the Ennore estuary. The intermetallic relationship revealed the identical behavior of metals during its transport in the marine environment.     

Occurrence forms of trace metals in recent bottom sediments from the White and Barents Seas

For the first time based on determination of the geochemical occurrence forms of trace metals the main processes that control the accumulation of elements (Al, Mn, Fe, Mo, Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, Cd, and As) in the recent sediment cores from the White Sea and Barents Sea were quantified. A high-resolution study of the bottom sediment cores allowed us to estimate the short-term variations (periodicity of 10–15 years) in the accumulation of metals to reveal the periods of maximum Fe and Mn contents in the amorphous hydroxides fraction, which serve as effective adsorbents of the trace elements majority, including heavy metals. The Mn/Fe ratio in the amorphous hydroxides phase can be considered as geochemical indicators of early diagenesis.     

Metal pollution in coarse sediments of Tuticorin coast,Southeast coast of India

Indian coastal waters are subjected to considerable pressure from sewage and industrial wastes, which are responsible for the contamination of the coastal sediments with consequent loss in biosphere. The present investigation attempts to study the significance of coarse material (Sand fraction) in the distribution of metals in polluted marine sediments. The study revealed that coarse Sand component contains a relatively significant proportion of the anthropogenic metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) and therefore it cannot be neglected in metal pollution studies of coastal sediments. Further, the distribution of anthropogenic metals in both Silt + Clay and Sand fraction follow the same suit indicating similar pollution sources. From the total sediment type (Silt + Clay and Sand fraction) all anthropogenic metals had a noticeable amount (>50%) in the acid extractable (and potentially bio-available) fraction. This article stresses the importance of coarse fraction in metal pollution studies in Indian coastal system.     

Ostracoda as an aid in identifying 2004 tsunami sediments: a report from SE coast of India

Four short core samples were collected from the creek, estuarine regions of southeast (SE) coast of India affected by the 2004 Asian Tsunami. The study is aimed to signify the importance of ostracoda species in identifying major natural events (e.g. Tsunamis) in the coastal regions. The presence of many marine ostracoda species in the beach areas and the comparative studies with earlier reports from SE coast indicate that these species were brought by the high-energy tsunami waves. The depositional feature of ostracoda species in the beach and estuarine region also infers on the nature and force of tsunami waves in a particular region. The results clearly support that microfossils can be used to identify the major natural events close to coastal regions.     

Luminescence dating of fluvial and coastal red sediments in the SE coast,India, and implications for paleoenvironmental changes and dune reddening

The Holocene and late Pleistocene environmental history of the teri (‘sandy waste’ in local parlance) red sands in the southeast coastal Tamil Nadu was examined using remote sensing, stratigraphy, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. Geomorphological surveys enabled the classification of the teri red sands as, 1) inland fluvial teri, 2) coastal teri and, 3) near-coastal teri dunes. The inland teri sediments have higher clay and silty-sand component than the coastal and near-coastal teri, suggesting that these sediments were deposited by the fluvial process during a stronger winter monsoon around > 15 ka. The coastal teri dunes were deposited prior to 11.4 ± 0.9 ka, and the near-coastal dunes aggraded at around 5.6 ± 0.4 ka. We interpret that the coastal dunes were formed during a period of lower relative sea level and the near-coastal dunes formed during a period of higher sea level. Dune reddening is post deposition occurred after 11.4 ± 0.9 ka for the coastal teri dunes and after 5.6 ± 0.4 ka for the near-coastal teri dunes. Presence of microlithic sites associated with the coastal dunes suggest that the cultures existed in the region during 11.4 ± 0.9 ka and 5.6 ± 0.4 ka.     

Pyritization of trace metals in mangrove sediments

The present study investigates the levels of Mn, Zn, Ni, and Co pyritization in mangrove sediments along distinct sedimentary zones in Enseada das Gra?as, a lagoon-type estuary located on the southeastern coast of Brazil. The coastal geology is characterized by intense interactions of trace metals, forming pyrite minerals. Specific orders of DOP (degree of pyritization) and DTMP (degree of trace-metal pyritization) are shown: supratidal flat?<?mangrove forest?<?mud flat. Distinct changes in content along the sediment profiles are noted, where a supratidal flat presented low levels of DOP and DTMP with little variance along the sedimentary depths. The mangrove forest showed relatively high values of DOP and DTMP in the lower depths, while the mud flat showed the highest levels of DOP and DTMP.     

Temporal and spatial variability of trace metals in suspended matter of the Mandovi estuary,central west coast of India

Studies on the suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Mandovi estuary, western India indicate that during the monsoon and pre-monsoon, the SPM increases, and the major and trace metals decrease from stations in the upstream to downstream of the estuary. SPM is consistently low at all stations during the post-monsoon. Trace metals (Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, and Pb) show strong inter-relationships. They correlate well with Fe and Mn only during the monsoon. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Pb are high during the post-monsoon. Enrichment factors and I _geo values of metals indicate that Mn shows significant to strong pollution in all seasons, while Cr, Ni, and Zn during monsoon, and Cr during the post-monsoon show moderate pollution. SPM is controlled by the turbidity maximum, while major and trace metals are governed seasonally by a combination of river discharge, resuspension, spillage of Fe–Mn particulates, and anthropogenic contamination. Incursion of saline waters deep into the river channel during the dry season facilitates aggregation and settling of particulate-borne pollutants close to the discharge area, thereby keeping the estuarine waters free from major contamination.     

Geochemical variations of major and trace elements in recent sediments,off the Gulf of Mannar,the southeast coast of India

The Gulf of Mannar along the Tuticorin coast is a coral base of the southeast coast of India. To obtain a preliminary view of its environmental conditions, geochemical distribution of major elements (Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, K, P), trace elements (Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Cd) and acid leachable elements (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Cd) were analyzed in surface sediment samples from two seasons. Geochemical fractionation confirmed the lithogenic origin of metals, which were mainly associated with the detrital phase. The sediments in the gulf are sandy with abundant calcareous debris, which controls the distribution of total and acid leachable elements. Enrichment factors relative to crust vary by a magnitude of two to three and the presence of trace metals indicates the input of Cr, Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in both forms through industrial activities. Factor analysis supports the above observation with higher loadings on acid leachable elements and its association with CaCO₃. The increase in concentration of trace metals (Cr, Pb, Cd, Cu, Co, Ni, Zn) along the Gulf of Mannar indicates that the area has been contaminated by the input from riverine sources and the industries nearby. The present study indicates that other sources should be evaluated in the long-term monitoring program.     

Benthic foraminifera and geochemical studies with influence on pollution studies along the coast of Cuddalore,Tamil Nadu-ITS,India

Foraminifers, being sensitive to minute changes, either undergo morphological changes or even disappear from the area completely due to pollution or under unfavourable conditions. The characteristics of foraminifers to incorporate the signature of presence of pollutants are considered to be an effective tool for temporal pollution monitoring studies. Totally, 12 offshore samples (both sediment and water) were taken along a normal profile along the coast of Cuddalore for pollution studies. Apart from foraminiferal studies, geochemical studies of the sediments collected are also undertaken to correlate and substantiate the findings. The near-shore area has a higher concentration of trace elements. If these concentrations exceed or go below permissible limits, it is collateral for the marine community and for those who consume these marine resources. The concentration of trace elements like lead, zinc, manganese, copper, chromium and nickel was illustrated to give an idea of the trace element concentration of the study area. The sedimentological studies reveal the organic matter and calcium carbonate content of the samples, and the bottom water measurements reveal the temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen of sample locations. These are used to determine whether the conditions prevailing could sustain life. The ratio of living to dead species is also determined and correlated with sedimentological and geochemical parameters. Pollution studies have given way to identify morphological abnormalities in the species mainly in Spiroloculina, Quinqueloculina, Elphidium, etc. but we could not find many effects among the faunal assemblages because of the nature of the sediments found in that area.     

Offshore depositional sequence of 2004 tsunami from Chennai, SE coast of India

Offshore sediment characteristics of the 2004 tsunami were identified from a shallow core collected from the Chennai Coast, India. The depositional sequence clearly distinguishes four different processes: mixed facies (post-tsunami): 0–8 cm; tsunami return flow facies (TRFF): 8–20 cm; tsunami landward flow facies: 20–44 cm; and pre-tsunami facies: 44–64 cm, which all took place during and after the tsunami event. The coarse-grained nature and higher carbonate in the TRFF indicate that considerable sediment load was transported from the beach/land area to the offshore region during the return flow of tsunami waves. The relatively greater abundance of benthic foraminiferal species in the core sample suggests that the taxa were transported from deeper regions of the inner shelf regions of Bay of Bengal region. The depositional characteristics in this region can be utilized for future comparative studies from this region as well as in other offshore regions affected by tsunamis with sequence-based studies on local topography.     

Classifying inundation limits in SE coast of India: application of GIS

A study on the possible inundation limit in SE coast of India was carried out using various physical, geological and satellite imageries. The coastal inundation hazard map was prepared for this particular region as it was affected by many cyclones, flooding, storm surge and tsunami waves during the last six decades. The results were generated using various satellite data (IRS-P6 LISS3; LANDSAT ETM; LANDSAT-5 ETM; LANDSAT MSS) and digital elevation models (ASTER GLOBAL DEM), and a coastal vulnerability index was generated for the entire coastal stretch of Nagapattinam region in SE coast of India. The coastal area which will be submerged totally due to a 1–5 m rise in water level due to any major natural disaster (tsunami or cyclone) indicates that 56–320 km² will be submerged in this particular region. The results suggest that nearly 7 towns and 69 villages with 667,477 people will be affected and indicate that proper planning needs to be done for future development.     

Noble metals in the bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea

Abundance of noble metals (NM) and bulk chemical composition have been studied in bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea. Distribution of NM and their correlation with major and trace elements in the sediments have been analyzed using multicomponent statistics. It was established that the average contents of NM in the bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea significantly exceed those both in shelf terrigenous sediments and stratisphere. Osmium and iridium enrich mixed and pelitic sediments relative to shallow-water areas and their influx is presumably determined by erosion of coastal and bottom loose deposits. High Ag, Ru, Au, and Pt contents were identified in the clayey sediments enriched in biogenic elements in the individual areas of the Southern Chukchi plain (Chukchi sea) confined to the intersection zones of submeridional and sublatitudinal structures of the graben-rift system, which was formed in the Mesozoic and activated in the late Cenozoic time.     

Fractionation of heavy metals in bottom sediments using Tessier procedure

The study presents the results of Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn and Fe determination in the samples of bottom sediments collected from the Oder and Warta rivers. The sequential extraction of metals in the samples of bottom sediments was performed after introducing the modification of the extraction scheme suggested by Tessier et al. (Anal Chem 51(7):844–851, 1979). The extraction times of particular stages were optimised. The fifth stage was altered by introducing the new methods of performing extraction. The samples of bottom sediments submitted the following granulometric analyses: dry, wet and wet with (HMP) dispersing reagent. Seven granulometric fractions with the following grain sizes were isolated: >2.0, 2.0–1.0, 1.0–0.5, 0.5–0.25, 0.25–0.1, 0.1–0.063 and <0.063 mm. The sequential extraction of particular granulometric fractions was performed. The concentration of metals variability was analysed depending on the method of sample preparation for the chemical analysis, granulometric fraction of sediments subjected to the analysis, extraction conditions and the site of samples collection. The lack of linearity between the metal concentration and the size of granulometric fraction was observed. The highest concentrations of metals were observed in fractions >2.0, 2.0–1.0 and 0.1–0.063 and <0.063 mm while the lowest concentrations occurred in fractions 1.0–0.5, 0.5–0.25, and 0.25–0.1 mm. The atomic absorption spectrometry with flame atomisation (F-AAS) was used for the determination of the investigated elements.     

The geochemistry of redox sensitive trace metals in sediments

We analyzed the redox sensitive elements V, Mo, U, Re and Cd in surface sediments from the Northwest African margin, the U.S. Northwest margin and the Arabian Sea to determine their response under a range of redox conditions. Where oxygen penetrates 1 cm or less into the sediments, Mo and V diffuse to the overlying water as Mn is reduced and remobilized. Authigenic enrichments of U, Re and Cd are evident under these redox conditions. With the onset of sulfate reduction, all of the metals accumulate authigenically with Re being by far the most enriched. General trends in authigenic metal accumulation are described by calculating authigenic fluxes for the 3 main redox regimes: oxic, reducing where oxygen penetrates ≤1 cm, and anoxic conditions. Using a simple diagenesis model and global estimates of organic carbon rain rate and bottom water oxygen concentrations, we calculate the area of sediments below 1000 m water depth in which oxygen penetration is ≤1 cm to be 4% of the ocean floor. We conclude that sediments where oxygen penetrates ≤1 cm release Mn, V and Mo to seawater at rates of 140%–260%, 60%–150% and 5%–10% of their respective riverine fluxes, using the authigenic metal concentrations and accumulation rates from this work and other literature. These sediments are sinks for Re, Cd and U, with burial fluxes of 70%–140%, 30%–80% and 20%–40%, respectively, of their dissolved riverine inputs. We modeled the sensitivity of the response of seawater Re, Cd and V concentrations to changes in the area of reducing sediments where oxygen penetrates ≤1 cm. Our analysis suggests a negligible change in seawater Re concentration, whereas seawater concentrations of Cd and V could have decreased and increased, respectively, by 5%–10% over 20 kyr if the area of reducing sediments increased by a factor of 2 and by 10%–20% if the area increased by a factor of 3. The concentration variations for a factor of 2 increase in the area of reducing sediments are at about the level of uncertainty of Cd/Ca and V/Ca ratios observed in foraminifera shells over the last 40 kyr. This implies that the area of reducing sediments in the ocean deeper than 1000 m (4%) has not been greater than twice the present value in the recent past.     

Temporal and spatial distribution of trace metals in sediments from the northern Yellow Sea coast,China: implications for regional anthropogenic processes

Surface sediment samples from 17 sites in the Yantai coastal area, the northern Yellow Sea, China, combined with a sediment core were employed for geochemical and chronological analyses for the purpose of characterizing the temporal and spatial distribution of trace metals in sediments and their implications for anthropogenic processes. The results indicated that the spatial distribution of trace metals (Cr, Ni, Ti, Pb, As, Zn, Mn and Cu) in surface sediments was significantly contributed by the sewage discharges along the Yantai coast, and the coastal currents played a major role for transporting the pollutants to offshore. The temporal concentrations of trace metals in the sediment core based on the chronology determined by a combination of radionuclide ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb activity demonstrated that trace metal concentrations increased step-wisely over the last ca. 100 years, corresponding to the intensity of anthropogenic processes in the Yantai area. The high levels of Cu and As before the late 1970s indicated the agricultural emission from the application of pesticides. While, all the high-trace metal concentrations since the early 1980s could be seen as diagnostic indictors of increasing industrialization, urbanization and sewage discharge in the Yantai area. Although the potential ecological risk evaluation of trace metals in the coastal area suggests low-potential ecological risk at present, some trace metals, such as As and Pb need particular attention due to their slight contamination.