title: Trace element concentrations in reef associated sediments of Koswari Island, Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve, southeast coast of India.
abstract: Extensive field work was conducted in order to assess the sediment pollution level and potential ecological risk on coral reef ecosystem. Thirty three surface sample was collected using grid sampling technique. The calcium carbonate and organic matter were primarily controlled by the distribution of coral rubbles and seagrass meadows. The concentration of trace elements is higher than the crustal average in few locations and the same result was derived from index calculations. However, the significant concentration of lead was observed throughout the study area. The elevated level of lead is probably due to coal incinerating power plants, and confluence of urban runoff from the nearby coastal areas. Based on the sediment pollution index, the majority of the sediments belongs to highly polluted to dangerously polluted category. The ecological risk indicates that the sediments are under low risk to moderate risk category and this result was proved by correlation analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India. Electronic address: coralkrishna@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnakumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India. Electronic address: unimadram@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramasamy
authors.affiliation: Centre for GeoTechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli 627012, India. Electronic address: profncsekar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chandrasekar
authors.affiliation: Centre for GeoTechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli 627012, India. Electronic address: tnoblesimon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simon Peter
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, Anna University, Chennai 600025, India. Electronic address: veegopaal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gopal
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Kerala, Kariavattom campus, Thiruvananthapuram 695581, India. Electronic address: princegodsons@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Prince S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Godson
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, Anna University, Chennai 600025, India. Electronic address: mageshissivan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Magesh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057894:Coral Reefs; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D007194:India; D062312:Islands; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Baseline study; Coral islands; Element concentration; Gulf of Mannar; Surface sediments