title: Changes in metal contamination levels in estuarine sediments around India--an assessment.
abstract: This review is the first attempt to comprehend the changes in metal contamination levels in surface estuarine sediments with changing time around India. Contamination factor, geoaccumulation index, pollution load index, effects range low and effects range median analysis were used to evaluate the quality of the estuarine sediments (by using the available literature data). This study suggests that estuarine sediments from the east coast of India were comparatively less contaminated by metals than the west coast. Sediments from those estuaries were found to be more contaminated by metals on which major cities are located. An improvement in estuarine sediment quality (in terms of metal contamination) over time around India was noticed. This study provides managers and decision-makers of environmental protection agency with a better scientific understanding for decision-making in controlling metal pollution in estuarine sediments around India.
authors.affiliation: Geological Oceanography Division, National Institute of Oceanography, CSIR, Dona Paula, Goa 403004, India. Electronic address: pchak@nio.org.
authors.forename: Parthasarathi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.affiliation: Geological Oceanography Division, National Institute of Oceanography, CSIR, Dona Paula, Goa 403004, India.
authors.forename: Darwin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ramteke
authors.affiliation: Geological Oceanography Division, National Institute of Oceanography, CSIR, Dona Paula, Goa 403004, India.
authors.forename: Sucharita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.affiliation: Geological Oceanography Division, National Institute of Oceanography, CSIR, Dona Paula, Goa 403004, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nagender Nath
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007194:India; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Contamination factor; Estuarine sediments; Geoaccumulation index; Metal pollution; Pollution load index