Evaluation of metals and trace elements in sediments of Kanyakumari beach (southernmost India) and their possible impact on coastal aquifers

Sundar S 1 , Roy PD 2 , Chokkalingam L 3 , Ramasamy N 4

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Remote Sensing, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620023, India. Electronic address: [email protected]
  • 2 Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacan, Ciudad de México C.P. 04510, Mexico. Electronic address: [email protected]
  • 3 Department of Remote Sensing, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620023, India
  • 4 Department of Applied Geology, School of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, CDT 250, Miri 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia
Mar Pollut Bull, 2021 May 26;169:112527.
PMID: 34051519 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112527

Abstract

Beach sediments of Kanyakumari at the southernmost India were evaluated for metals and trace elements and to assess their possible impact on coastal ecosystems. Positive correlations (except for Cd and Sr) between them indicated metamorphic lithologies and heavy mineral deposits as possible sources. Significant-extremely high enrichment and very high contamination of Th, Zr, Mo, Ti and U reflected the presence of different heavy minerals. The geo-accumulation index, however, mirrored their variable abundances at different sites. Association of Cd with P suggested the influence of anthropogenic solid waste from fishing industry. It might have caused >41-fold enrichment of Cd and the Fe- Mn-oxides possibly acted as scavengers for 13-fold enrichment of As compared to UCC. Concentrations of Zn and Cr between ERL and ERM in 13% and 93% of the samples, and Ni > ERM in 87% of sediments suggest their bioavailability to seawater with a potential risk for coastal aquifers.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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