Assessment of Heavy Metal Enrichment and the Degree of Contamination in Coastal Sediment from South East Coast of Tamilnadu, India

Abstract

Assessment of heavy metals in coastal sediments from Thazhankuda to Kodiyakkarai along the East Coast of Tamilnadu, India was carried out using Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique with the computation of different pollution indices. The mean order of metal concentration is Al>Fe>Ca>K>Mg>Ti>Mn>Cr>V>Zn>Ni>Co in the study area. The locations of Pichavaram (CPM), Tharangambadi (TRGB) and Karaikal (PKK) were found to be moderately polluted by heavy metals due to anthropogenic activities. The pollution indices such as Contamination factor (CF), Pollution load index (PLI), Contamination degree (Cd), modified degree of contamination (mCd), Potential contamination index (Cp) and potential ecological risk index (RI) were used for the metal enrichment and contamination status. The CF and PLI value of the present work indicating that the sediments are not polluted by heavy metals. The calculated Contamination degree (Cd), modified degree of contamination (mCd), Potential contamination index (Cp) and potential ecological risk index (RI) of the studied metals indicated that the study area does not posed high risk to local environments.