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A preliminary investigation of pollution in the River Yamuna, Delhi, India: Metal concentrations in river bank soils and plants

Environmental Geochemistry and Health volume 11, pages 149–156 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

A preliminary study of inorganic elements in the river bank soil and plants from the River Yamuna in Delhi has been carried out. Soil at Okhla, near the Water Works plant has a high zinc content (1,215 μg g−1 and this is reflected in the high concentration of zinc (2,029 μg g−1) in Eichhornia plants growing in the river at this point. Although in general the aluminium content of the soils is low in comparison with the world mean, soil near the effluent from the ash settling basins of the Indraprathsa Power Station contains elevated aluminium.Eichhornia plants growing near this effluent are stunted and unhealthy, and is suggested that, taking into account the high pH, possible causes are toxicity from aluminium or boron.

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Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, TW20 0EX, Egham, Surrey, England

    M. E. Farago & A. Mehra

  2. School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, 110067, New Delhi, India

    D. K. Banerjee

Authors
  1. M. E. Farago
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  2. A. Mehra
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  3. D. K. Banerjee
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Farago, M.E., Mehra, A. & Banerjee, D.K. A preliminary investigation of pollution in the River Yamuna, Delhi, India: Metal concentrations in river bank soils and plants. Environ Geochem Health 11, 149–156 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01758665

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01758665

Keywords

  • Zinc
  • Toxicity
  • Boron
  • Geochemistry
  • Metal Concentration