Aggarwal Mohit, Anbukumar S, Kumar T Vijaya
Department of Civil Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, India.
School of Engineering and Technology, Noida International University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Water Environ Res. 2025 Aug;97(8):e70160. doi: 10.1002/wer.70160.
This study investigates the influence of pH and organic matter (OM) on the concentrations of potential toxic elements, that is, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn metals in the surface sediments of the Ganga River. The research explores the interaction between sediment properties and metal contamination in a 225-km stretch of the river in Uttar Pradesh, India, where industrial, agricultural, and domestic pollution contribute to heavy metal accumulation. Surface sediments act as reservoirs for these metals, influencing their mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity. Sediment samples from 10 sites were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), revealing metal concentrations in the decreasing order: Fe > Mn > Cr > Zn > Ni > Pb > Cu > Cd. OM content ranged from 4.73% to 6.57% (mean: 5.79% ± 0.60%), whereas pH values (7.31-7.63) indicated slightly alkaline conditions. Correlation analysis identified significant relationships between metals and sediment properties. Strong positive correlations were observed for Mn-Pb and Fe-Cr, suggesting similar sources or geochemical behavior. Mn, Pb, Ni, and Cd correlated positively with OM, indicating its role in metal binding, whereas Fe, Cr, Zn, and Cu showed negative correlations. Furthermore, Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Cd correlated positively with pH, suggesting reduced mobility in alkaline conditions, whereas Fe and Cr exhibited increased solubility. These findings underscore the importance of sediment characteristics in assessing heavy metal contamination and ecological risks. Understanding these interactions is vital for targeted pollution mitigation and sustainable river health management.
本研究调查了pH值和有机质（OM）对恒河表层沉积物中潜在有毒元素（即铁、锰、镉、铜、铬、镍、铅和锌金属）浓度的影响。该研究探索了印度北方邦一段225公里长的河段沉积物性质与金属污染之间的相互作用，在该河段，工业、农业和生活污染导致了重金属的积累。表层沉积物充当这些金属的储存库，影响它们的迁移性、生物可利用性和毒性。使用原子吸收光谱法（AAS）对来自10个地点的沉积物样本进行了分析，结果显示金属浓度从高到低依次为：铁＞锰＞铬＞锌＞镍＞铅＞铜＞镉。OM含量范围为4.73%至6.57%（平均值：5.79%±0.60%），而pH值（7.31 - 7.63）表明为弱碱性条件。相关性分析确定了金属与沉积物性质之间的显著关系。锰与铅、铁与铬之间观察到强正相关，表明它们有相似的来源或地球化学行为。锰、铅、镍和镉与OM呈正相关，表明OM在金属结合中发挥作用，而铁、铬、锌和铜呈负相关。此外，锰、锌、铅、镍、铜和镉与pH呈正相关，表明在碱性条件下迁移性降低，而铁和铬的溶解度增加。这些发现强调了沉积物特征在评估重金属污染和生态风险方面的重要性。了解这些相互作用对于有针对性地减轻污染和实现河流健康的可持续管理至关重要。
