Assessment of heavy metal pollution in lake sediments of Katedan Industrial Development Area,Hyderabad, India

Spatial distribution and temporal trends studies were carried out at Katedan Industrial Development Area (KIDA) near Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh state, India under Indo-Norwegian Institutional Cooperation Program, to find out the extent of contamination in streams and lake sediments from the discharge of industrial effluents. Stream and lake sediment samples were collected from the five lakes in the study area and connecting water streams. The samples were analyzed by XRF spectrometer for toxic elements. The studies reveal that the stream sediments with in the KIDA and the impounded Noor Mohammed Lake down stream have high concentration of some of the toxic elements like chromium, nickel, lead, arsenic, zinc etc. The geology of the area indicates that the study area consists of residual soil of acidic rocks, which are predominantly of Archaean gneisses and granites having low to medium concentrations of chromium and nickel. The source of these high concentration of elements like lead 2,300 mg/kg, copper 1,500 mg/kg, arsenic 500 mg/kg, chromium 500 mg/kg etc. cannot be derived from the surrounding acidic rocks and may be attributed to the industrial effluents released in the ditches and random dumping of hazardous solid waste. It was observed that the metal concentrations increased in the streams during the dry season (pre-monsoon period). After the monsoon rains, the metal concentrations in the streams were reduced by half which may be due to dilution. The eroded sediments are deposited in the lake where very high concentrations were encountered. Overflowing of the lake will spread the contamination further downstream. The lake sediments will remain as a major source of contamination by desorption to the water phase regardless of what happens to the effluent discharge in the KIDA. However, some samples showed enrichment of lead, arsenic and nickel during post-monsoon, which were collected near the dumpsite due to the leaching of toxic elements from the dump site to the lakes. Some of the toxic elements like nickel and copper have not shown any dilution but have increased after the rains, which could be due to the leaching of arsenic from the dumpsite to the lake along with rainwater. Geochemical maps showing the distribution of heavy/trace elements in streams and lakes are prepared and presented in this paper. Effect of toxic elements on the health of the residents in the surrounding residential areas is also discussed.