Abstract
The distribution of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in the plants and fish of Yamuna river from Delhi to Allahabad, a distance of about 840 km, at five sampling stations was determined in the year 1981. The results have shown wide variations in the heavy metal levels from one sampling station to the other. The concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the plants (Eicchornia crassipes) were found to be 0.02–0.12, 2.7–21.3, 4.6–64.8, 9.8–114.0, 193.0–1835.0, 380.0–1443.0, 4.4–83.0, 4.8–30.2, and 22.1–356.5 μg g-1 respectively whereas in the fish (Heteropnuestes fossilis) were found to be ND-0.40, 2.3–13.7, 3.7–26.9, 8.33–58.1, 278.3–1108.0, 81.3–213.8, 2.8–32.7, 1.4–12.8 and 101.8–364.8 μgg-1 respectively on dry weight basis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abo-Rady, M. D. K.: 1977, ‘Die Belastung der Oberen Leine mit Schwermetallen durch Kommunale und Industrielle Abwässer, ermittelt anhand von Wasser-, Sediment-, Fisch- und Pflanzenuntersuchungen’, Diss. Univ. Göttingen, F.R.G. p. 120.
Ajmal, M., Nomani, A. A., and Khan, M. A.: 1983, ‘Pollution in the River Ganges (India)’, Water Science and Technology 16, 347–358.
Bibo, J.: 1977, ‘Schwermetalluntersuchungen an Wasser, Schwebstoffen, Aufwuchs und Cladophora rivularis der Elsenz’, Diplom-Arbeit, Univ. Heidelberg, p. 111.
Browing, E.: 1961, Toxicity of Industrial Metals, Butter Warth, London.
Camp, T. R.: 1963, Water and Impurities, Reinhold, New York.
Cunningham, P. A. and Tripp, M. R.: 1975. ‘Factors Affecting the Accumulation and Removal of Mercury from Tissues of the American Oyster Crassostrea virginica’, Mar. Biol. 31, 311–19.
Eustance, I.J.: 1974, ‘Zinc, Cadmium, Copper, and Manganese in Species of Fin Fish and Shell Fish Caught in the Derwent Estuary, Tasmania Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 25, 209–220.
Fujiki, M.: 1972, The Transitional Condition of Minamata Bay and the Neighbouring Sea Polluted by Factory Waste Water Containing Mercury. 6th Int. Conf. Water Pollut. Res. Paper No. 12.
Gleason, M. N., Gosselin, R. S., Hodge, H. C. and Smith, R. P.: 1969, Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, Acute Poisoning (Hone and Farms), Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore.
Hagino, N. and Yoshiyoka, K.: 1961, ‘A Study on the Etiology of the So-called Ita-Itai Disease’, J. Jap. Orthop. Assoc. 35, 812–814.
Harding, J. P. C. and Whitton, B. A.: 1981, ‘Accumulation of Zinc, Cadmium and Lead by Field Populations of Lemanea’, Water Research 15, 301–319.
Keeney, W. L., Breck, W. G., Van Loon, G. W., and Page, J. A.: 1976, ‘The Determination of Trace Metals in Cladophora glomerata as a Potential Biological Monitor’, Water Research 19, 981–984.
Khan, N. A., Ahmad, A., Nomani, A. A., and Ajmal, M.: 1981, ‘Atomic Absorption Spectrophotomatric Studies as a Source of Cadmium and Zinc in Commercial Fertilizers, Soils and River Waters, Env. Poll(B), 2, 259–64.
Kutsuna, M.: 1968, Minamata Disease: Study Groups of Minamata Disease, Kumamoto Univ. Japan.
Lee, K. W. and Keeney, D. R.: 1975, ‘Spectrophotometric Determination of Cadmium and Zinc in Soil and Commercial Fertilizers, Water. Air. and Soil Pollut 5, 109–12.
Leland, H. V. and McNurney, J. M.: 1974, Lead Transport in a River Ecosystem. Proc. Int. Conf. Transp. Persist. Chem. Aquatic Ecosyst., Ottawa III, pp. 17–23.
Luckey, T. D., Venugopal, B., and Hutcheson, D.: 1975, ‘Heavy Metal Toxicity. Safety and Hormology’, Environmental Quality and Safety. Supplement Vol. 1, 119 p. Academic Press, New York.
McKee, J. E. and Wolf, H. W. (eds.). 1963, Water Quality Criteria, California State Water Resources Control Board, California, 548 pp.
Murata, I. Hirano, T., Saeki, Y., and Nakagawa, S.: 1970, Bull. Soc. Int. Chrir. 2, 34.
Oak Ridge National laboratory: 1973, Cadmium the dissipated Element. Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Parker, C. R.: 1972, Water Analysis by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Varian Techtron Pty Ltd., Australia.
Pentreath, R. J.: 1973, ‘The Cccumulation from Water of Zn65, Mn54, Co58, and Fe59 by the Mussel. Mytilus edulis'. J. Mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 53, 127–43.
Phillips, D. J. H.: 1976, ‘The Common Mussel Mytilus edulis as an Indicator of Pollution by Zinc, Cadmium, Lead and Copper. I. Effects of Environmental Variables on Uptake of Metals, Mar. Biol. 38, 59–69.
Phillips, D. J. H.: 1977, ‘The Common Mussel Mytillus edulis as an Indicator of Trace Metals in Scandinavian Waters, I. Zinc and Cadmium, mar. Biol. 43, 283–91.
Phillips, D. J. H.: 1978, ‘The Common Mussel Mytilus edulis as an Indicator of Trace Metals in Scandinavian Waters, II. Lead, Iron and Manganese’, Mar. Biol. 46, 147–56.
Preston, E. M.: 1971, ‘The Importance of Ingestion in Chromium 51 Accumulation by Crassostrea Viroginica (Gmelin)’. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 6, 47–54.
Prevot, P. and Soxer, M. O.: 1978, ‘Effect of Cadmium on a free Diving Dinaflagellate, Prorocentrum micans E. Growth, Cadmium Absorption and Cell Modifications, Cl Hebd. Seances Acad. Sci. Ser. D. 287 (8), 833–836.
Reay, P. F.: 1972, ‘The Accumulation of Arsenic from Arsenic Rich Natural Waters by Aquatic Plants’, J. Appl. Ecol. 9, 557–565.
Salanki, J., Balogh, V. K., and Berta, E.: 1982, ‘Heavy metals in Animals of Lake Belaton’, Water Research 16, 1147–1152.
Sawyer, C. N. and McCarty, P. L.: 1978, Chemistry for Environmental Engineering, 3rd ed., McGraw Hill, New York, 532 pp.
Schulz-Baldes, M.: 1974, ‘Lead Uptake from Sea Water and Food, and Lead Loss in the Common Mussel, Mytilus edulis, Mar. Biol. 25, 177–93.
Shimuzu, Y.: 1972, The Itai-Itai Disease, in Polluted Japan Jun Ui (ed.), Jishu-Kora, Tokyo.
Snyder, R. B., Wuebbles, D.J., Pearson, J. E., and Ewing, B. B.: 1971, ‘A Study of Environmental Pollution by Lead’. Institute for Environmental Study, State of Illinois, IIEQ, Document No: 717.
Spancer, D. F. and Greene, R. W.: 1981, ‘Effects of Nickel on Seven Species of Freshwater Algae’, Env. Poll (A). 25, 241–247.
Sparks, E.: 1978, ‘The Effects of Cadmium Chloride on the Green Algae Oedogonium cardiacum, Proc. Annu. Tech. Meet. Inst. Environ. Sci. Ala. 24, 229–231.
Suckcharoen, S., Nuorteva, P., and hasanen, E.: 1978, ‘Alarming Signs of Mercury Pollution in a Freshwater Area of Thailand’, Ambio 7, 113–116.
Sutton, D. C., Haller, W. T., Steward, K. K., and Blackburn, R. D.: 1972, ‘Effect of Copper on Uptake of Diquat by Hydrilla’, Weed Sci. 20, 581–3.
Tsubaki, T.: 1971, Mercury in Man's Environment, Royal Society of Canada, Ottawa.
U.S. Public Health Service: 1962, Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards-1962, Publication 956, U.S. Govt.: Printing Office, Washington, D.C.