TR(BR)-8/99-2000 : Distribution of heavy metals on sediments under different flow conditions

Abstract

The river Hindon is subjected to varying degree of pollution caused by numerous untreated waste outfalls of municipal and industrial effluents. The main sources, which create pollution in river Hindon include municipal waste of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Ghaziabad districts and industrial effluents of sugar, pulp and paper, distilleries and other miscellaneous industries through tributaries as well as direct outfalls. The flow in the river varies widely and is controlled by the release of water from Upper Ganga Canal through Khatauli and Jani escapes.

In this study we have analyzed the distribution of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Co, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni and Al) in water, suspended and bed sediments of river Hindon polluted by municipal, industrial and agricultural effluents, which flows through the city of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Ghaziabad districts. The heavy metal concentrations in water were observed to depend largely on the amount of flowing water and are negatively correlated with flow.

Sediment analysis indicates that the large amount of heavy metals are associated with organic matter, the fine-grained sediment fraction and Fe/Mn hydrous oxides. A high positive correlation of most of the metal ions in sediments with iron, manganese and organic matter indicate that these constituents play a major role in transport of metal ions.

The heavy metal concentrations generally increased with the decreasing particle size of the sediments. The maximum concentration was observed in 0-75 Inn sediment fraction. Lower metal concentrations in bed sediments during post-monsoon season established that monsoon had a slight effect on status of metals in sediments by causing renewal and mobilization of metals from the sediments.