757 © 2012 Triveni Enterprises J. Environ. Biol. Vikas Nagar, Lucknow, INDIA 33, 757-761 (2012) [email protected] ISSN: 0254-8704 Full paper available on: www.jeb.co.in CODEN: JEBIDP Analysis of heavy metals in dying wetland Pallikaranai, Tamil Nadu, India

Author Details M. Sridevi Karpagavalli Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research, Anna University, Chennai– 600 025, India P. Malini Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research, Anna University, Chennai– 600 025, India. A. Ramachandran Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research, CEG Campus, Anna University, Sardar (Corresponding author) Patel Road, Chennai – 600 025, India. e-mail : [email protected]

Abstract Pallikaranai wetland has high ecological significance as it has been a home for other associated Publication Data biodiversities. This wetland is highly polluted due to the rapid industrialization, urbanization and dumping of solid waste. The water quality of the Pallikaranai wetland has been studied with reference to toxic Paper received: metals. The metals analyzed include lead, chromium, iron, copper, nickel, zinc and cadmium. The heavy 14 December 2010 metal analysis in surface waters were in the following range ; Cd : BDL – 0.019 mg l -1 , Fe : BDL – 1.52 mg l -1 , Cu : BDL – 0.02 mg l -1 , Ni : BDL- 0.60 mg l -1 , Pb : 0.03 – 1.13 mg l -1 , Zn : 0.002 – 0.14 mg l -1 and Revised received: Cr : 0.10 – 1.52 mg l -1 respectively. The dominance of various heavy metals in the surface water of the 22 June 2011 Pallikaranai wetland followed the sequence: Pb> Cr > Fe > Ni > Zn > Cd > Cu. The quality of water has deterioted due to the various anthropogenic activities. Most of the metal ions were in higher concentration Accepted: compared to the standards. It has been observed that the quality of the surface water is not safe for aquatic 06 August 2011 and domestic life, hence necessary management actions should be taken to control the quality of the surface water.

Key words Wetland, Heavy metals, Surface water, Management strategies.

Introduction The quality of water resources is deteriorating day by day due to the continuous addition of undesirable chemicals (Ali and Jain, 2001). Wetlands are defined as lands transitional between terrestrial With increasing public concern regarding environmental and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the contamination there is a growing need to monitor, manage and surface or the land is covered by standing water that does not remediate ecological damage (Iqbal et al. , 2006). exceed 6 m. It is the most important part of life- supporting ecosystems that sustained human lives and communities over the millennia. Among various organic and inorganic water pollutants, metal They are an essential part of human civilization, meeting many ions are toxic, dangerous and harmful because of their non -degradable crucial needs for life on earth such as drinking water, water nature (Jumbe and Nandini, 2009). Metals enter aquatic ecosystem purification, water storage, recharge of ground water, erosion control through rocks, soils directly exposed to surface waters, decomposing and shoreline stabilization (Agarwal, 2008). During periods of dead organic matter, atmospheric particulate matter, anthropogenic flooding, they mitigate flood and to trap suspended solids and activities including the discharge of various treated and untreated liquid attached nutrients (Prasad et al. , 2002). The conservation and wastes into the water body (Akoto et al. , 2008). Toxic metals are maintenance of these surface water bodies are very difficult task bioaccumulative and relatively stable, as well as carcinogenic, and, due to rapid growth of population and increased industrial activities. therefore, require close monitoring (Ali and Jain, 2001).

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Heavy metals such as Cr, Ni, Cu, Fe and Zn play from Velacheri, Tambaram – Old Mahapalipuram Road, Perungudi biochemical role in the life processes of aquatic plants and animals, till Kannagi Nagar in Chennai. Rainfall is the main source of aquifer and their presence in trace amounts in the aquatic environment is replenishment and the water level rises during the northeast monsoon essential. However, at high concentrations these trace metals period in the months of October to December. The recharge potential become toxic (Akoto et al. , 2008). Human activities have increased of the region is immense as the region is proximate to the south the concentration of metals in many of the natural water systems Chennai aquifer. which have raised concerns regarding metal bioaccumulation and human health hazards (Iqbal et al. , 2006). Based on the source of Sampling procedure: The water samples were collected in 2 l pollution like solid waste dumpyard and sewage treatment plant, polyethylene bottles from well-mixed section of the wetland water major heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr and Pb) in the surface surface using telescopic water sampler from seventeen points at water of Pallikaranai wetland were analysed to investigate the monthly intervals, and stored in ice box and transported to the pollution level. laboratory. The water samples were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters like pH, electrical conductivity (EC), biochemical oxygen Materials and Methods demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulphate, alkalinity and hardness following standard procedures of APHA (2005). Study area: The Pallikaranai marsh land is located 20 km south of Chennai with an area of 50 km 2. The geographical coordinate of Sample preparations for heavy metal analysis: The surface the study area is between 12 o55’30" to 12 o58’30’’ N latitudes and water samples were thoroughly filtered through the Whatman No.1 80 o12’20’’ to 80 o14’25’’E longitudes (Fig.1). The study area runs filter paper to eliminate suspended solids. Analytical grade reagents

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Table 1 : Minimum and maximum values of heavy metals in surface water of Pallikaranai wetland

Heavy metals Drinking water standard Effluent standard Irrigation water standard Recorded values (mg l -1 ) (mg l -1 ) (BIS: 10500) (CPCB, 1998) (Ayers and Wescot, 1994) Cadmium NA 2.00 0.01 BDL – 0.019 Copper 0.01 3.00 0.2 BDL – 0.02 Iron 0.05 3.00 5.0 BDL – 1.52 Lead 0.30 0.10 5.0 0.03 – 1.13 Nickel 0.10 3.00 0.2 BDL- 0.60 Zinc NA 5.00 2.0 0.002 – 0.14 Chromium 5.00 2.00 0.1 0.10 – 1.52 were used for analysis (Merck, Germany). Heavy metal analysis Results and Discussion was done using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Six Vario) Heavy metal pollution is a serious and widespread environmental using acetylene gas as fuel and air as an oxidizer. Operational problem due to the toxic, persistent, non biodegradable and bio- conditions were adjusted to yield optimal determination. The accumulation properties of these contaminants (Gbaruko and Friday, calibration curves were prepared separately for all the metals by 2007). The pollution of aquatic ecosystems could be more obvious running suitable concentrations of the standard solutions. Digested in sediment, macrophytes and aquatic animals, than in water samples were aspirated into the fuel rich air-acetylene flame and (Alhashemi et al 2011). The analytical results reveals that the pH the concentrations of the metals were determined from the calibration values ranged from 6.5 to 8.4, EC values were recorded with in a curves. Average values of three replicates were taken for each range of 590- 42900 µS cm -1 and the distribution of DO varied from determination. The analysis was done using protocol outlined in 0.2-12.6 mgl -1 with a BOD value of BDL-250 mgl -1 . Total alkalinity APHA (2005). andCOD of the samples was recorded between 40-1650 mgl -1 ,

0.025 (a) 1.60 (b) 1.40 0.02 1.20 0.015 1.00 0.80 0.01 0.60 0.40 0.005 0.20 0 0.00 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314 15 16 17 Sample Location Sample Location

1.2 (c) 0.7 (d) 1.0 0.6 0.5 0.8 0.4 0.6 03 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.1 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617

Sample Location Sample Location Fig. 2 : Concentration of heavy metals in Sampling locations

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0.02 (e) algal growth (Petersen 1982). Metals such as Pb, Ni and Cr are 0.018 generally not required for metabolic activity and are toxic to living 0.016 organisms at quite low concentrations (Forster and Whittmann, 0.014 1979; Meria, 1991). 0.012 The analysis of surface water (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, Zn 0.01 and Cr) revealed that the concentration of metals was found to be 0.008 in the following range: below detectable limit (BDL) – 0.019 mg l -1 , 0.006 BDL – 0.02 mg l -1 , BDL – 1.52 mg l -1 , 0.03 – 1.13 mg l -1 , BDL- 0.004 0.60 mg l -1 , 0.002 – 0.14 mg l -1 and 0.10 – 1.52 mg l -1 , respectively, 0.002 Ni concentration was found above the limit prescribed by Irrigation 0 Standards (0.2 mg l -1 ). In all the cases, Cr alone exceeding the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617 prescribed limit (0.1 mg l -1 ) in maximum sampling locations with a Sample Location concentration range of 1.52 and 1.27 mg l -1 . Whereas Cd, Pb, Zn, Fe and Cu were within the limit prescribed by Irrigation 0.16 (f) Standards (Ayers and Westcot, 1994; Srivastava et al. , 2009). 0.14 Cu, Pb and Ni exceeded the limit of drinking water standards (0.01 mg l -1 , 0.10 mg l -1 , 0.30 mg l -1 , BIS:10500). While Pb also 0.12 exceeded effluent discharge standards (0.10 mg l -1 ,CPCB, 1998) 0.1 (Table 1). 0.08 0.06 The mean concentration of the heavy metals was observed 0.04 in the order of Pb> Cr > Fe > Ni > Zn > Cd > Cu. Yigit and Altingad 0.02 (2006) state that in Lake Egirdir the heavy metals order was found in Cd > Pb > Cr > Hg. Kar et al. (2008) reported that, in river 0 Ganga highest concentrations of Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb were 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617 observed during winter, and Mn and Zn were observed in monsoon Sample Location and mean concentrations of the metals was found in the order Fe > Mn > Ni > Cr > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd. 1.6 (g) 1.4 Elmaci et al. (2007) reported that in water samples of Lake 1.2 Uluabat Zn and Cu concentrations were significantly higher due to 1 the industrial and domestic discharge, the same observations were found in inland waters of Hong Kong (Zhou et al. , 1998). Panday 0.8 et al. (2010) reported that in Ganga river, more than 80% of the 0.6 water samples Cd and Ni levels above the recommended maximum 0.4 admissible concentration the same kind of results was found in Ona 0.2 river Adefemi and Awokumni (2010). Khan et al. (2005), states that 0 some elevated concentration of heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Hg, Cd, Fe, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617 Cu, Ni,Co, Zn) were recorded in the surface water bodies near Sample Location NLC corporation due to the untreated wastewater discharged from Fig. 2 : Concentration of heavy metals in sampling locations mine pits, fly ash ponds and industrial effluents from the Neyveli mines-industrial complex. One of the main sources of these elements and 8-740 mgl -1 respectively. Metals that are deposited in the into the surface water due to the atmospheric deposition by urban aquatic environment may accumulate in the food chain and cause – industrial runoff (Panday et al. , 2010). ecological damage and threat human health. Industrial discharge, domestic sewage, non-point source runoff and atmospheric Glenn et al. (2009) states that in the coastal lagoon of manila precipitation are the main sources of toxic heavy metals that enter bay the presence of heavy metal are due to the direct deposition of aquatic systems. Many metals are essential for living organisms heavy metals from air pollution. Davis et al. (2006) reported that high but some of them are highly toxic or become toxic at high concentration of heavy metal present in the sediment than the water, concentrations. Transition metals like Fe, Cu which are essential because sediments accumulate more heavy metals. The low but may toxic at high concentrations. Bioaccumulation of iron may concentration of metals in water might not necessarily reflected that coat the bottom sediment which inhibits the benthic feeding (Solbe the areas were pollution free. The biota lives in such an area might de, 1998). Copper interferes the food chain through inhibition of have accumulated the metals from water (Abdulah, 2007).

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Thus, the present study is an attempt to detect changes of radula) from the Elechi creek, Niger delta. Afri. J. Biotech. , 5, 968- heavy metal concentration in the water samples of the Pallikaranai 973 (2006). Elmaci, A., A. Teksoy, F.O. Topac, N. Huseyin and S. Kaya : Assessment wetlands. If this trend is allowed to continue unabated, it is mostly of heavy metals in Lake Uluabat, Turkey. Afri. J. Biotech. , 6, 2236- likely that the local food web complexes in these wetlands might be 2244 (2007). at the highest risk of induced heavy metal contamination. This Forstner, U. and G.T.W. Wittmann: Metal pollution in the aquatic environment. alarming concentration may also escort public discomfort to the Springer-Verlag, Berlin. pp 486 (1979) . Gbaruko, B. C. and O. U. Friday: Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in surrounding people. Hence stringent management actions should some fauna and flora. Int . J. Environ. Sci. 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