Spatial Heavy Metal Distribution Status in the Coastal Sediments along South East Coast of India

Abstract

Heavy metals are natural constituents of the Earth's crust and are present in varying concentrations in all bionetworks. In the aquatic environment their levels are increased due to anthropogenic activities. Rapid growth of the economy and Industrialization has been coupled with increasing environmental pollution. The coastal ecosystems are now facing increasing metal pollution burdens because of the elevated metal discharges from various sources like Industrial and domestic sewage discharges, mining, smelting, e-wastes recycling are important sources contributing to coastal pollution. Prominent levels of metal contamination along the coastal environment can increase the risk of metal exposure to humans by consuming seafood, raising the anxiety for more inflexible control and discharge of metals into the environment. Sampling of coastal sediments was carried out from the period of October 2013 to September 2014 and analyzed. The present study aimed to evaluate heavy metal concentrations of  Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn and their spatial distribution along the coastal sediments of  East Coast of India.