Heavy metal distribution in Subarnarekha river, east coast of India

Abstract

Water and sediment samples collected during three different periods were analysed for the estimation of the natural and anthropogenic heavy metal fluxes from Subarnarekha river. Enrichment ratios, used as the tool for quantification of contamination, were calculated for both water and sediment samples with respect to global and local background concentration values separately; It was-observed for water that the contamination was mole when compared with global background and less when compared with local background values. However, the bed sediments were enriched more with reference to the local background than the global background values. The above information helps in estimating the contribution of heavy metals to the metal flux to the Bay of Bengal.