Source and ecological risk assessment of trace metal contamination in Lake Pykara sediments, Southern India

In this investigation, the metal concentrations (Co, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cu, Pb, As, Cd, and Ni) were estimated in the surface sediments of Lake Pykara. The impending contagion and toxicity of metals were dictated by assessing the EF, Igeo, and ecological risk assessment. The mean concentrations of different metals in this investigation are more prominent than the background esteems of average shale aside from the estimations of Ni and Mn. The Cd and mCd esteem uncover that the lake is highly contaminated to extremely contaminating. The Igeo esteem affirmed that the sediments are strong to very strongly pollute. According to the risk assessment estimates based on Er, RI, and PLI, the sediments of Lake Pykara range from extremely high potential ecological risk to the highest ecological risk category. Pearson’s correlation is additionally recommending that they most likely originated from a similar source of occurrence. The study also reveals the most significant information about the human impacts on the sediments of Lake Pykara.