Spatial risk assessment and trace element concentration in reef associated sediments of Van Island, southern part of the Gulf of Mannar, India.
Forty eight surface sediment samples were collected from the vicinity of Van Island in order to assess the sediment pollution level and potential ecological risk on coral reef ecosystem. The analytical and correlation results indicate a distribution of elements is chiefly controlled by the CaCO3and OM. The enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index show the elevated level of Pb in the surface sediments is due to application of lead petrol and coal incinerating power plants. The sediment pollution index reveals that majority of the sediments falling under highly polluted sediment category (35.4%) followed by moderately polluted (25%) and dangerous sediment category (14.58%). The potential ecological risk suggests that nearly 66.6% of the samples falling under the low risk category, moderate risk category (20.8%) followed by considerable risk category (8.33%) and very high risk category (4.1%). The accumulation level of trace elements clearly suggests that the coral reef ecosystem is under low risk.
Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy campus, Chennai 600025, India. Electronic address: coralkrishna@yahoo.co.in.
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Krishnakumar
Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy campus, Chennai 600025, India. Electronic address: unimadram@yahoo.com.
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Ramasamy
Centre for GeoTechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli 627012, India. Electronic address: profncsekar@gmail.com.
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Chandrasekar
Centre for GeoTechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli 627012, India. Electronic address: tnoblesimon@gmail.com.
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Peter
Department of environmental sciences, University of Kerala, Kariavattom campus, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, India. Electronic address: princegodsons@gmail.com.
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Godson
Department of Geology, Anna University, Chennai 25, India. Electronic address: veegopaal@gmail.com.
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Gopal
Department of Geology, Anna University, Chennai 25, India. Electronic address: mageshissivan@gmail.com.
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Magesh
D057894:Coral Reefs; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D007194:India; D062312:Islands; D007854:Lead; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D007854:Lead
Coral reef ecosystem; Potential ecological risk index; Sediment pollution index; Surface sediments; Trace elements