Ecological risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in mangrove forest sediment of Gulf of Khambhat region, West Coast of India

Mangrove forests are in severe threat from heavy metals pollution stimulated by the several human activities connected with hasty industrialization and urbanization. Heavy metals contamination of mangrove ecosystems has caused serious concern worldwide. The objective of the present research is to identify the heavy metal pollution in the mangrove forest sediments of the Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, India. The samples were collected from the 12 selected sites of the GoK and investigated for Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, As, Co, Mn, Zn, and Hg using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The abundance of heavy metals concentration in the sediment were found in the decreasing order of Mn > Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > As > Co > Hg > Cd with average concentration of 669.07, 84.02, 48.19, 34.66, 11.64, 7.14, 2.79, 0.25, 0.12, 0.09 mg/kg respectively. The contamination status of each metal in the sediment of GoK was assessed by various pollution indices and assesses their prospective ecological risk to the environment. The pollution indexes confirmed that Zn and Hg moderately contaminated the surface sediment of GoK due to anthropogenic activities. The concentration of the significant metals described in this study would be helpful as a reference point for assessment in future sediment quality research.