Assessment of trace metal contamination in a historical freshwater canal (Buckingham Canal), Chennai, India

Abstract

The present study was done to assess the sources and the major processes controlling the trace metal distribution in sediments of Buckingham Canal. Based on the observed geochemical variations, the sediments are grouped as South Buckingham Canal and North Buckingham Canal sediments (SBC and NBC, respectively). SBC sediments show enrichment in Fe, Ti, Mn, Cr, V, Mo, and As concentrations, while NBC sediments show enrichment in Sn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Hg. The calculated Chemical Index of Alteration and Chemical Index of Weathering values for all the sediments are relatively higher than the North American Shale Composite and Upper Continental Crust but similar to Post-Archaean Average Shale, and suggest a source area with moderate weathering. Overall, SBC sediments are highly enriched in Mo, Zn, Cu, and Hg (geoaccumulation index (I(geo)) class 4-6), whereas NBC sediments are enriched in Sn, Cu, Zn, and Hg (I(geo) class 4-6). Cu, Ni, and Cr show higher than Effects-Range Median values and hence the biological adverse effect of these metals is 20%; Zn, which accounts for 50%, in the NBC sediments, has a more biological adverse effect than other metals found in these sediments. The calculated I(geo), Enrichment Factor, and Contamination Factor values indicate that Mo, Hg, Sn, Cu, and Zn are highly enriched in the Buckingham Canal sediments, suggesting the rapid urban and industrial development of Chennai Metropolitan City have negatively influenced on the surrounding aquatic ecosystem.

Geochemical Footprint of Megacities on River Sediments: A Case Study of the Fourth Most Populous Area in India, Chennai

“…Both the Cooum and Adyar are seasonal, and their main flow is due to the north-east monsoon from October to December. Portions of the upstream side of the two rivers will be dried during the non-monsoon period [65], thus they both mostly act as city sewage networks in their respective upstream reach [8]. Sewage and waste water outflows enter the rivers via drains, which are connected to different networks and collect all kinds of urban and industrial waste from the city [65].…”

Multivariate Statistical Analysis of pollutants in Ennore creek, South-East coast of India.

“…(Jebakumar et al,2014). These cluster stations are all located at north and north east part of the Ennore estuary (Fig 1c).where, Buckingham canal is contributing Raw municipal sewage, industrial trade effluents (Usha Natessan et al, 2010;Jeyaprakash et al 2012) and discharge of NCTPS coolant water in Stations EBUCS, WQE4 and WQE5.Significant input of fecal coliform also occurs from the Buckingham canal (Buvaneshwari et al, 2014;Jebakumar et al, 2014). …”

“…Raw municipal sewage, industrial trade effluents and industrial cooling waters all of them make its way through Buckingham canal, enters into Ennore estuary and eventually drains into the Bay of Bengal of Chennai coast (Usha Natesan and Ranga Rama Seshan, 2010). To identify the distribution patterns of major and trace metals in the sediments from Buckingham Canal (Jeyaprakash et al 2012). If the assimilating capacity of the water body is not exceeded, the ecosystem is able to recover from additional stresses without permanent damage (Muthuraj and Jeyaprakash 2007).…”

Heavy metal concentration in groundwater from Besant Nagar to Sathankuppam, South Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

“…Northeast monsoon highly contributes the rainfall to the study area and the average annual rainfall is 1200 mm (CGWB 2008). Buckingham canal runs parallel to the coast and connects Muttukadu Backwater that also gives an adverse effect to the aquifer (Jayaprakash et al 2012).…”