Monitoring of Heavy Metals in the Water and Sediments of the Ganga River, India

Abstract

The concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc in the water and sediments of the Ganges river were determine by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry in the year 1981. The respective ranges of concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc found in the water were ND-0.53, ND-4.89, 3.20–56.6, ND-27.57, 22.0–133.8, 35.0–93.0, ND-2.22, 2.0–5.6 and 7.37–67.36 µgl−1 and in the sediments were ND-3.48, 2.35–14.4, 9.0–83.16, 11.27–95.0, 2168.0–11624.8, 110.5–470.0, 3.45–28.80, 0.55–21.8 and 72.0–418.6 µgg−1. The data showed that there was considerable variation in the elements from one sampling station to the other. The sediments collected from different sampling stations were also analysed for pH, calcium carbonate, organic matter, potassium and phosphorus.