Heavy Metals in Sediments of Inland Water Bodies of India: A Review

In last few decades, due to the rapid increase in the population, industrialization and newer agricultural practices, the aquatic resources of India have been deteriorating. The pollution of aquatic ecosystems by heavy metals is of a great concern due to their persistence, toxicity and accumulative behaviour. The heavy metals can change the trophic status of aquatic ecosystems and make them unsuitable for various purposes. They also pose a serious threat to human health. This paper reviews the heavy metal contamination of sediments of Indian inland water bodies. It also discusses the possible sources of pollution. Different standards for sediment pollution which are in use have also been discussed. It showed that environmental degradation has become a major societal issue in India due to uncontrolled anthropogenic activities, besides natural factors. There is an urgent need of creating awareness amongst the public of these problems and find preventive and remedial solutions for management. Expensive high-tech remedial measures are not suitable for the country, and hence emphasis has to be given on prevention. Indigenous research towards mitigation and remediation has to be encouraged, keeping in mind India's unique problems of poverty, crowding and malnutrition.