EVALUATION OF HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN THE ESTUARIES OF CHENNAI

ABSTRACT

Chennai, the fourth largest metropolitan city in India has undergone rapid urbanization and industrial developments in recent years. This has resulted in the accumulation of hazardous pollutants and toxic metals in the aquatic ecosystems. The present study is carried out to study contamination of Cr, Pb, As and Cd  in Ennore, Pulicat and Muttukadu estuaries surrounding Chennai. Among the metals analyzed, Cr was found to be deposited in higher concentration. This was followed by Pb, As and Cd. The concentration of all the metals was found to remarkably very high in the Ennore estuary

KEY WORDS: Ennore, Pulicat, Mutukadu, heavy metals, contamination

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