Article Title :
Heavy Metal Contamination in the Floodplains along Mula River, Pune District, Maharashtra State, India
3 (2019)
12-21
Contamination Factor , Pollution Load Index , Heavy Metals , Mula River , X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF)
Pre-urban, urban and post-urban stretch of the Mula River in Pune District of Maharashtra (India) is examined for quantification of heavy metals (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd), calculation of the Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Contamination Factor (CF). They were estimated from the surface sediments (0-5 cm) at 10 sampling sites along the Mula river. High Cr anomaly (Max. 388.20 ppm) followed by Co (Max. 104.91 ppm), Ni (Max. 167.44 ppm), Cu (Max. 391.35 ppm), Zn (Max. 507.91 ppm) and Cd (Max. 2.38 ppm) is seen at various locations mostly encompassing the urban stretch. PLI is found to be high i.e., >1 in urban sites like Khadki, Kalyaninagar and Kharadi than the rural downstream sites. There is negligible mobility of the heavy metals and the urban floodplains are increasingly accumulating the heavy metals to a highly hazardous level.
The downstream area decreases the Pollution Load Index (PLI) in rural areas due to settling of heavy metals.
Distribution of heavy metal loaded sediments over wider area depleting the concentration.
There is negligible mobility of the heavy metals.
PLI is found to be high in urban sites than the rural downstream sites.
Composition of rocks and minerals are vital in deciphering the chemical eminence of groundwater.
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