Concentration of Mercury and Other Heavy Metals
in Central India
K.S. PATEL, R.M. PATEL, A.N. TRIPATHI, C.K. CHANDRAWANSHI, P.K. PANDEY,
S. CHIKHALIKAR, A. KAMAVISDAR, and S.G. AGGARWAL
The contamination sites for the pollution of Hg and other heavy metals, i.e. Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn,
Cd, Pb and Tl, have been detected in the central part of India in the mineral- and coal-rich areas
which lie between 18° and 23° N latitude and 80° and 84° E longitude. The heavy metals are found to
be associated with the natural resource materials, i.e. minerals and coal, and are emitted into the
environment by both natural and human activities. Thirty one sediments samples derived from 20
different ponds and 10 different river basins were collected and analyzed by AAS. The pollution level
of Hg and ten other heavy metals in water and sediments, distribution of Hg in water and sediments,
and their sources are described.
1
Introduction
The heavy metals are very toxic and found to be associated in nature with the
sulphide and sulpho-salt ores of the ferrous and non-ferrous alloying elements,
and with fossil fuel (Oehme 1978). Of these, Hg is one of the most toxic and
highly volatile elements. The environmental chemistry of Hg and other heavy
metals, i.e. Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Tl etc., in water and sediments has
been extensively investigated in temperate climates, but largely neglected in the
tropical climate of Asia (Rask and Metsaelae 1991; Wilken and Hintelmann 1991;
Belkin and Sparcke 1993; Stigliiani et a1. 1993; Iskander and Vega Carrillo 1994;
Colina et a1. 1996; Fabbri et a1. 1996; Glass et a1. 1996; Ikingura and Mutakyahwa
1996; Wiener et a1. 1996). In central India, the area lying between 18°and 23
0
N
latitude and 80
0
and 84
0
E longitude is most sensitive to heavy metal pollution
due to the occurrence of minerals and coal and their utilization. Several steel,
cement and aluminium industries, and thermal power plants mainly using coal as
a source of energy are full at work in this region. These minerals and coal are
found to be associated with Hg and other heavy metals at trace levels. Due to
natural and human activities (e.g. exploitation of minerals and coal, smelting of
minerals, burning of coals, combustion of gasoline, atmospheric deposition of
the heavy metals, weathering of rocks and erosion of soils) the metal pollution in
the environment of this region is increasing. Sediment is an efficient sink or
source for the release of the metals to the aquatic or other living organisms.
Therefore, the distribution of heavy elements, i.e. Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd,
Pb, TI and Hg, in the sediments of reservoirs situated in different geographical
environments, i.e. industrial belt, thermal power plant, coal mines and the iron
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999
in Central India
K.S. PATEL, R.M. PATEL, A.N. TRIPATHI, C.K. CHANDRAWANSHI, P.K. PANDEY,
S. CHIKHALIKAR, A. KAMAVISDAR, and S.G. AGGARWAL
The contamination sites for the pollution of Hg and other heavy metals, i.e. Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn,
Cd, Pb and Tl, have been detected in the central part of India in the mineral- and coal-rich areas
which lie between 18° and 23° N latitude and 80° and 84° E longitude. The heavy metals are found to
be associated with the natural resource materials, i.e. minerals and coal, and are emitted into the
environment by both natural and human activities. Thirty one sediments samples derived from 20
different ponds and 10 different river basins were collected and analyzed by AAS. The pollution level
of Hg and ten other heavy metals in water and sediments, distribution of Hg in water and sediments,
and their sources are described.
1
Introduction
The heavy metals are very toxic and found to be associated in nature with the
sulphide and sulpho-salt ores of the ferrous and non-ferrous alloying elements,
and with fossil fuel (Oehme 1978). Of these, Hg is one of the most toxic and
highly volatile elements. The environmental chemistry of Hg and other heavy
metals, i.e. Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Tl etc., in water and sediments has
been extensively investigated in temperate climates, but largely neglected in the
tropical climate of Asia (Rask and Metsaelae 1991; Wilken and Hintelmann 1991;
Belkin and Sparcke 1993; Stigliiani et a1. 1993; Iskander and Vega Carrillo 1994;
Colina et a1. 1996; Fabbri et a1. 1996; Glass et a1. 1996; Ikingura and Mutakyahwa
1996; Wiener et a1. 1996). In central India, the area lying between 18°and 23
0
N
latitude and 80
0
and 84
0
E longitude is most sensitive to heavy metal pollution
due to the occurrence of minerals and coal and their utilization. Several steel,
cement and aluminium industries, and thermal power plants mainly using coal as
a source of energy are full at work in this region. These minerals and coal are
found to be associated with Hg and other heavy metals at trace levels. Due to
natural and human activities (e.g. exploitation of minerals and coal, smelting of
minerals, burning of coals, combustion of gasoline, atmospheric deposition of
the heavy metals, weathering of rocks and erosion of soils) the metal pollution in
the environment of this region is increasing. Sediment is an efficient sink or
source for the release of the metals to the aquatic or other living organisms.
Therefore, the distribution of heavy elements, i.e. Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd,
Pb, TI and Hg, in the sediments of reservoirs situated in different geographical
environments, i.e. industrial belt, thermal power plant, coal mines and the iron
Environmental Science
Mercury Contaminated Sites (ed. by R. Ebinghaus et al.)
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999