Pollution Profile of the Panvel Creek, Raigad, Maharashtra, India: Analysis of the Heavy Metal Contamination

The concentration of heavy metal levels (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were assessed in water samples from Panvel creek, District Raigad, Maharashtra, West Coast of India. The heavy metals were analysed by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Results of the study reveal that, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Hg were detected in water samples of Panvel creek whereas Pb and Cd were not reported. Levels of Cu range from not detectable to 0.037 ppm whereas concentration of Ni varies from not detectable to 0.048. Zn is the only metal which is consistently detected at both the sites during all seasons whereas its values were moderately high (0.108 ppm) during the monsoon at both sites. Highest values were recorded for Hg, especially during the pre-monsoon. Highest levels of Ni and Zn were detected at both sites during monsoon season whereas Cu, Pb, Hg and Cd were not detected during monsoon at all sites. Further, Cu and Zn were detected during post-monsoon, while other metals such as Ni, Pb, Hg and Cd remain not detectable. Zn was only heavy metal detected at both sites during all sampling seasons while Pb and Cd were absent from the water samples during all the seasons at all sites. Average concentration of heavy metals reported in Panvel creek was found to be in the order of Hg>Zn>Ni>Cu>Pb>Cd. Therefore, the coastal water from the Panvel creek is polluted by heavy metals. Absence of heavy metals like Pb and Cd is attributed to the waste discharged in the creek are free from these metals and is also beneficial to the coastal biota of the creek. Consistent occurrence of Cu, Ni, Zn, and Hg in Panvel creek should not be ignored considering their impact on the ecosystem and marine biota.