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A holistic study on mercury pollution in the Ganga River system at Varanasi, India

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Original Authors: R. K. Sinha; S. K. Sinha; D. K. Kedia; A. Kumari; N. Rani; G. Sharma; K. Prasad
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Mercury is one of the important heavy metal pollutants in aquatic ecosystem. The metal was studied in the Ganga River System at Varanasi, India and could be traced in biotic as well as abiotic components of the River at the study site, a Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage centre. The hindu devotees take bath in the river where mercury was detected in 28%, 44%, 75%, 96%, 42% and 89% of the river water, sediment, benthic fauna, fish, soil and vegetation samples respectively. Mercury concentration followed a trend of water < sediment < benthic macro invertebrates < fish in aquatic system of the river at the study site. The bio-concentration factors in sediment, benthic macro invertebrates and fish was 3 x 102, 5 x 102 and 1 x 104 respectively. Though, mean mercury in the GangaRiver water is well within the prescribed limit of WHO for drinking water quality, but the maximum concentration recorded in the study exceeded the criteria value. Presence and accumulation of the metal in physical environment and biota of the River is quite worrisome.
Published: July 27, 2007
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