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Heavy Metals in Freshly Deposited Stream Sediments of Rivers Associated with Urbanisation of the Ganga Plain, India

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Abstract

Freshly deposited stream sediments from six urban centres of the Ganga Plain were collected and analysed for heavy metals to obtain a general scenery of sediment quality. The concentrations of heavy metals varied within a wide range for Cr (115–817), Mn (440–1 750), Fe (28 700–61 100), Co (11.7–29.0), Ni (35–538), Cu (33–1 204), Zn (90–1 974), Pb (14–856) and Cd (0.14–114.8) in mg kg-1. Metal enrichment factors for the stream sediments were <1.5 for Mn, Fe and Co; 1.5–4.1 for Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb; and 34 for Cd. The anthropogenic source in metals concentrations contributes to 59% Cr, 49% Cu, 52% Zn, 51% Pb and 77% Cd. High positive correlation between concentrations of Cr/Ni, Cr/Cu, Cr/Zn, Ni/Zn, Ni/Cu, Cu/Zn, Cu/Cd, Cu/Pb, Fe/Co, Mn/Co, Zn/Cd, Zn/Pb and Cd/Pb indicate either their common urban origin or their common sink in the stream sediments. The binding capacity of selected metals to sediment carbon and sulphur decreases in order of Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni and Cu > Zn > Cr > Ni, respectively. Stream sediments from Lucknow, Kanpur, Delhi and Agra urban centres have been classified by the proposed Sediment Pollution Index as highly polluted to dangerous sediments. Heavy metal analysis in the <20-μm-fraction of stream sediments appears to be an adequate method for the environmental assessment of urbanisation activities on alluvial rivers. The present study reveals that urban centres act as sources of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd and cause metallic sediment pollution in rivers of the Ganga Plain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India

    Munendra Singh & I. B. Singh

  2. Institute of Environmental Geochemistry, University of Heidelberg, Germany

    German Müller

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  1. Munendra Singh
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  2. German Müller
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  3. I. B. Singh
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Correspondence to Munendra Singh.

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Singh, M., Müller, G. & Singh, I.B. Heavy Metals in Freshly Deposited Stream Sediments of Rivers Associated with Urbanisation of the Ganga Plain, India. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 141, 35–54 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021339917643

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