Temporal and spatial variability of trace metals in suspended matter of the Mandovi estuary, central west coast of India

Studies on the suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Mandovi estuary, western India indicate that during the monsoon and pre-monsoon, the SPM increases, and the major and trace metals decrease from stations in the upstream to downstream of the estuary. SPM is consistently low at all stations during the post-monsoon. Trace metals (Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, and Pb) show strong inter-relationships. They correlate well with Fe and Mn only during the monsoon. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Pb are high during the post-monsoon. Enrichment factors and Igeo values of metals indicate that Mn shows significant to strong pollution in all seasons, while Cr, Ni, and Zn during monsoon, and Cr during the post-monsoon show moderate pollution. SPM is controlled by the turbidity maximum, while major and trace metals are governed seasonally by a combination of river discharge, resuspension, spillage of Fe–Mn particulates, and anthropogenic contamination. Incursion of saline waters deep into the river channel during the dry season facilitates aggregation and settling of particulate-borne pollutants close to the discharge area, thereby keeping the estuarine waters free from major contamination.