International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE) ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-3 Issue-2, July 2013 Trace Metal Concentration in Sediments of Tamirabarani River in Relationships with Physico Chemical Characteristics - A Study Using Gis Application Chandrasekaran, A, Mukesh, M.V, Anantharaman, P,Tamilselvi, M, Muthukumarasamy, R, Manivel, T, Rajmohan, R Abstract – A study is carried out to investigate the Moreover, this field of research has been receiving concentrations and distribution of trace metals to the sediments increasing scientific attention due to its negative effects on of Tamirabarani River, south east coast of India. Nearly sixteen life (Nriagu, J.O, 1988, Long, E.R, 1995, Abernathy, C.O soil samples collected from river mouth and tributaries and 1999, Boening, D.W 2000).The trace element in water and analyzed for traces elements show high-rate concentration of Hg (3.52-24.69μg g-1) Cu(2.2-17.82μg g-1), Ni(7.83-15.2μg g-1), biota indicates the presences of natural or anthropogenic Cr(58.3-145.5μg g-1), Pb(3.48-12.93μg g-1), Zn(9.3-74μg g-1) and contamination. In a coastal ecosystem, the environmental Cd(1.41-4.92μg g-1). The pH, EC, and TDS values reported as quality is an issue of growing international attention (8.1-9.5) (384-16250) (303-33050) .The abundances of such (Forstner, 1983). The main sources of metals in an oceanic metals caused by the river contribution of sediments from areas system are the weathering of soil, rock and anthropogenic with unplanned agricultural development and from the activities. In an aquatic ecosystem, the nearly 99% of industrial, activity carried out on the riverbanks. It is concluded pollutants are biodegradable and are settled in sediments. To that in and around Mukkani area, the concentration of heavy estimate the pollution index of the preservation of organic metals is higher due to anthropogenic and industrial effluent in matter in fine grained, which can lead to trace metal Tamirabarani River. enrichment by increasing absorptive capacity of sediments Keywords: Sediments, Trace elements, Tributaries, spatial (Alberic et al, 2000, Bryan and Lang stone1992, Bubb and distribution, Tamirabarani River Lester 1994). However, trace elements need not necessarily to stick to the sediments as recycling and can occur by I. INTRODUCTION biological, chemical, and physical process (Adams et al., It has long been known that, in the right concentrations, 1992; Rees et al., 1996; Das et al., 1995; Lee et al., 2003). many metals are essential to life and ecosystems (Morgan, J.J. and Stumm, W.1964, Butt, E.M et. al 1964, Yunice, II. MATERIALS AND METHODS STUDY AREA A.A., Perry, E.F., and Perry, H.M 1968). Chronic low The study area is along the coastal region associated with exposures to metals can lead to severe environmental and Tamirabarani river discharge area, which falls in the part of health effects. Similarly, in excess, these same metals can be Thirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, east coast of poisonous (Handovsky, H, 1926, Lamb, R1964, Wahlberg, Tamilnadu state, India (Fig.1). It lies in the top sheet J.E 1965, Hecker, L.H et. al 1974, Nriagu, J.O 1988). The Nos.58/G, H and 58 L/2 (scale1,250,000) published by main metal threats are associated with heavy metals such as survey of India and located in between 8˚25N & 9˚10N lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. Unlike many organic latitudes &77˚ 10 E &78˚ 15’E longitudes (Fig.2). pollutants, which eventually degrade to carbon dioxide and Tamirabarani River originates from western ghat hills in the water, heavy metals will tend to accumulate in the western part within the study area and confluences in the environment, especially in lake, estuarine, or marine East coast of Bay of Bengal. The study area is blessed with sediments (Long E.R et. al 1995). Heavy metals are closely deltaic system with different functioning and inactive connected with environmental deterioration and the quality distributaries (Fig.3). Western part is dominated by active of human life, and thus have stimulated concern all over the river and tide dominated distributaries are along the coast world. More and more countries have signed treaties to (Magesh et. al 2011). monitor and reduce heavy-metal pollution (OECD, 1996). The geology of the study area is occupied by three districts geological formations namely i) Archean, ii) Tertiary, iii) Recent to sub recent, which gives the details of the geological formations and the distribution of the rock types Manuscript Received on July, 2013. Chandrasekaran, A, Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai present in the basin. The Archean formations comprised University, Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu 90% of the aerial distribution of rock's type in the Mukesh, M.V, Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, catchment, which consists of Aeolian, Gneiss, Pyroxene- Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu Granulite, Fluvial, Fluvial marine, Garnet-Biotite-Gneiss, Anantharaman, P, Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu Hornblende, Biotite-Gneiss charnockites, calc gneisses, Tamilselvi, M, Department of Marine Biology, Annamalai University, calc granulites, crystalline limestones and quartzite. The Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu coastal belt is occupied by tertiary formations and recent Muthukumarasamy, R, Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai sediments, which occur in University, Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu Manivel, T, Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, the form of a narrow Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu zone parallel to the Rajmohan., R, Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, coastline with the Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu Retrieval Number: B0974073213/2013©BEIESP Published By: 9 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering & Sciences Publication Trace Metal Concentration in Sediments of Tamirabarani River in Relationships with Physico Chemical Characteristics - A Study Using Gis Application thickness increasing towards the shore (Kumarasamy 2010, undesirable because of corrosion hazards and possible Balasubramanian et al 1985). (Fig.4). difficulties in treatment. The pH was considerably slightly higher in Tamirabarani river water, which may be due to III. SEDIMENTS SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS greater input of effluents from different types of industries Nearly sixteen sediment samples collected at the river located in and around the study area. mouth and tributaries. Each sampling location identified and EC recorded using a hand-held GPS (Magellan). Physical Conductivity is the measure of capacity of a substance or parameters were determined in the field using a portable solution to conduct electric current. Conductivity is multi parameter kit PC Tester 35(Multi parameter). Sub- reciprocal of the resistance and in this study, electrical surface sediment's sample collected for geochemical conductivity values ranged from 468-16250 at different analysis packed in thick polyethylene bags. In the times over the study area. EC values indicate the presence of laboratory, the collected samples were deep frozen at -4o to more salts in river water as suggested by (Dhembare, A.J., avoid soil contamination and dried in a hot-air oven at 40oC B.S.Gungal and Pondhe, G.M. 2002). Spatial distribution before crushed to powder using agate mortar (Shetye et al., map is constructed and classified as low, medium and high. 2009). The samples subjected to analyze trace metals using Based on the values remarking is done, which show low the AAS (Elico) method by using a series of solution over values in location of 1,6,11,15,16, medium value is found in the range 2-10mg/l. 4,7,10,17, and high value is recorded in 3,7,8,9,13,14 GIS- Analysis (Fig.7). EC values are good indicators of the relative The geospatial distribution of trace element was difference in water quality between distinct aquifers accomplished by a spatial analysis component in Arc GIS. (Rashid, A.K. 1982). It was related to TDS content, and its Analysis sample is attributed to Arc GIS 9.1 by input data to value becomes higher than the increase to the degree of make a spatial distribution graph from the low and higher pollution. values from the analytical results of the sediment's samples. TDS µg TDS indicates the total amount of inorganic chemicals dissolved in water samples. It suggested that water with a hardness of 50 ppm was considered to be soft; however, a IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION hardness of 300 ppm was admissible for domestic use, The physical parameter's pH, EC, and TDS values of the whereas it should be 2 to 80 ppm for boiler feeders, and an study area range from (8.1-9.5) (384-16250) (303-33050) upper limit of 150 ppm was usually recommended for (Table.1).The calculated values of trace elements like (Hg, agriculture. WHO and ISI permitted limit for total hardness Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Zn, and Cd) in the sediments samples are -1 of water is 150 mg L (Trivedy, R.K. and P.K. Goel, 1984). shown in (Table 2). The high value and low value are -1 presented by elements such as Mercury (3.52-24.69µg g-1), Desirable limit of 300 mg L suggested by (Abdullah and Copper (2.2-17.82μg g-1), Nickel (7.83-15.2μg g-1), Musta. 1999). Spatial distribution map is constructed and Chromium (58.3-145.5μg g-1), Lead (3.48-12.93μg g-1), Zinc classified as low, medium and high. Based on the (9.3-74μg g-1) and Cadmium (1.41-4.92μg g-1). The classification low value is found at 1,5,6,11,15,16, medium fluctuation in values is movement of sea water in shore value at 4,7,10, and high value noted at 3,8,9,12,13,14,17 sediments and abundance of metals in the sediments is (Fig.7). According to Mahesh Kumar and Prabhahar 2012 -1 expected to reflect the long-term exposure of the sediments, the values between 150 and 300 mg L of TH in water was due to various anthropogenic detection, including the nearby -1 chemical plant and industries.