Heavy Metal Content in Suspended Particulates and Bed Sediments of a Tropical Perennial River and Estuary, Central Kerala, India

The tropical perennial muvattupuzha river and adjoining Vembanad estuary, Central Kerala, were surveyed for texture, organic carbon and heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Cr) in suspended particulates and bed sediments. Sand is the dominant textural class in river, whereas mud, muddy sand and sand floor the estuarine substratum. Particulate organic carbon varies from 2.04-3.44% with a slight increase towards estuarine mouth. River sediments show low range of organic carbon (0.35 - 1.03%) while the estuarine sediments show 3-4 fold increase than that in the river. The concentration of Fe, Mn and Zn are in general higher in bed sediments than in suspended particulales. But Cu, Ni and Zn enrich in particulate phase. The overall variation of geochemical parameters is in general controlled by particle size as well as chemical desorption during estuarine mixing.