title: Trace elements in surface sediments of the Hooghly (Ganges) estuary: distribution and contamination risk assessment.
abstract: Our objective was to evaluate distribution and accumulation of trace elements (TEs) in surface sediments along the Hooghly (Ganges) River Estuary, India, and to assess the potential risk with view to human health. The TE concentrations (mg kg-1dry weight) exhibited a wide range in the following order: Al (31.801 ± 15.943) > Fe (23.337 ± 7584) > Mn (461 ± 147) > S (381 ± 235) > Zn (54 ± 18) > V (43 ± 14) > Cr (39 ± 15) > As (34 ± 15) > Cu (27 ± 11) > Ni (24 ± 9) > Se (17 ± 8) > Co (11 ± 3) > Mo (10 ± 2) > Hg (0.02 ± 0.01). Clay, silt, iron, manganese and sulphur were important for the accumulation of TE in the sediments as confirmed by factor analysis and Pearson correlation. The accumulation and dispersal of TEs were most likely to be governed by both tide-induced processes and anthropogenic inputs from point and non-point sources. Enrichment factor analysis and geoaccumulation index revealed serious contamination of the sediments with Se and As, while comparing the consensus-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), adverse biological effects to benthic fauna might be caused by As, Cu, Ni and Cr. This investigation may serve as a model study and recommends continuous monitoring of As, Se, Cu, Ni and Cr to ascertain that SQGs with respect to acceptable levels of TEs to safeguard geochemical health and ecology in the vicinity of this estuary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta, 700019, India.
authors.forename: Santosh Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta, 700019, India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecological Studies, International Centre for Ecological Engineering, University of Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, India.
authors.forename: Jayanta Kumar
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Guangjin-Gu, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eilhann E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Korea Biochar Research Center, School of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, South Korea.|Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: Yong Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ok
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Guangjin-Gu, Seoul, South Korea. rinklebe@uni-wuppertal.de.|Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany. rinklebe@uni-wuppertal.de.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rinklebe
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D063366:Estuaries; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Deltaic soils; Pollution assessment; Sediment contamination; Sediment quality; Surface sediments