The Fishery Environment Management Division

(FEMD) of Central Marine Fisheries Research

Institute (CMFRI), Kochi, has been documenting the

real-time data on total concentration of metals

viz., Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn since 1994, in sediments

off Cochin and since 2002, data on Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg,

Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn and Fe, in sediments from different

regions of the Indian coast. Database on these vital

parameters determining the sediment quality with

respect to environmental toxicity is available in the

FEM Division of CMFRI since 199

Kaladharan, P

Khambadkar, L R

Kripa, V

Krishnakumar, P K

Leelabhai, K S

Nandakumar, A

Pillai, V K

Prema, D

Valsala, K K

CMFRI Digital Repository

Marine Fisheries Information Service T&E Ser., No. 213, 2012 7Database on trace metal levels in the Indian marine ecosystem: decadaltrends of lead and cadmium in sediment off CochinD. Prema, K. S. Leelabhai, K. K. Valsala, A. Nandakumar, L. R. Khambedkar,V. K. Pillai, P. K. Krishnakumar, P. Kaladharan and V. KripaCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute, KochiThe Fishery Environment Management Division(FEMD) of Central Marine Fisheries ResearchInstitute (CMFRI), Kochi, has been documenting thereal-time data on total concentration of metalsviz., Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn since  1994, in sedimentsoff Cochin and since 2002, data on  Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg,Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn and Fe, in sediments from differentregions of the Indian coast. Database on these vitalparameters determining the sediment quality withrespect to environmental toxicity is available in theFEM Division of CMFRI since 1994. The locations ofdata collection  included three sites each from Veraval(Gujarat), Mumbai (Maharashtra),  Karwar andMangalore (Karnataka), Mandapam, Tuticorin andChennai (Tamil Nadu), Visakhapatanam (AndhraPradesh) and four sites from Cochin (Kerala)covering the Indian coast from different regional/research centres as well as headquarter  of CMFRI.The data were collected as part of  the inhouseprojects entitled  “Monitoring marine pollution inrelation to protection of living resources”(FEM/MP/1) from 1994-2002 and  “Monitoring theenvironmental contaminants from coastal water withreference to bioaccumulation and bio-magnification infishes” (FEM/02) from 2002 onwards. Recently,   analysisof these data was done to understand the decadal trendsin the content of lead and cadmium  in sediment in thecoastal waters of Central Kerala.  Summary of the salientfindings of this analysis is given below.Sediment samples were collected from fourstations (two stations belonging to the estuarinewaters and two stations belonging to the inshorewaters), off Cochin, using  Van Veen Grab having anarea of 0.05 m2. The  samples after processing anddigestion were used to quantify total lead and totalcadmium  concentrations (µg g-1) using atomicabsorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Quality check,quality control and quality assurance procedureswere maintained throughout.Lead accumulation in sedimentThe result of the analysis of total lead (µg g-1) areplotted in figures 1 and 2. As per the sediment qualityguidelines issued by NOAA (National Oceanographicand Atmospheric Administration, USA) based onassessment of the potential for biological effects ofsediment adsorbed lead, the probable effects levelis 112 µg g-1 in marine conditions. The NOAAsediment quality guidelines are non-regulatoryguidelines for use in interpreting chemical data. Theprobable effect level indicates a potential risk fromthe concerned contaminants to the biological field.The concentration of lead in sediment  (µg g-1 ) inharbour and barmouth (Fig. 1)  did not go aboveprobable effect level (PEL) in Cochin, except in 2002,during January to April (pre-monsoon).Lead as a contaminant enters the marineecosystem from different sources. The naturalsources are atmosphere and intrinsic content inFig. 1. Decadal trend of lead (µg g-1) in sediment inVembanad EstuaryFig. 2. Decadal trend of lead (µg g-1) in nearshoresediment, off Cochin211-Marine Fisheries Information Service T&E Ser., No. 213, 20128lithosphere reaching the hydrosphere. Lead alsoenters the hydrosphere through anthropogenicactivities including industrial effluent discharge. Leadis widely used in battery casings, pipes and leadbased additives in fuels. High levels of lead havebeen reported in marine life near areas of car densityin California and UK (Law et al.,1992). Toxicquantities of lead consumed by humans can causeanaemia, hypertension, cardiac disease, immunesystem suppression (antibody inhibition) andneurological damage.The lead accumulation level in nearshoresediments off Cochin were well below the level ofpotential risk  (i.e., the probable effect level of112 µg g-1) except in November 2001 and inJanuary – February 2002 at 20 m depth (post andpre-monsoon). The incidence of lead above PEL is2.4% of the total observations (N = 421). These strayoccurrences of higher accumulation of lead, duringparticular periods of one to three months in post and/or pre-monsoon might be from anthropogenic origin.The index for anthropogenic accumulation of metalsworked out as “enrichment factor” for lead in sedimentwas high in post and pre-monsoon seasons whereasit was practically nil in monsoon seasons. This canbe a sign of potential risk for lead accumulation insediment in post and pre-monsoon seasons inestuary as well as inshore areas and dilution inmonsoon. It also shows that the resident time ofpotential lead contamination is less and the threatfor biota for exposure to the potential risk level is toolittle. There  is no permanent binding of lead by thesediment at the potential risk concentration. Hencethe sediments can be considered as generally in thestate of safe environment as far as lead accumulationis considered.Cadmium accumulation in sedimentCadmium enters the aquatic system ascontaminant in many ways. Cadmium was usedwidely in electroplating, in solder and as a pigmentfor plastics, but less frequently now due to healthconcerns. Main sources presently are as by-productof zinc mining, nickel-cadmium battery production,burning of coal and oil, wearing down of car tyres,corrosion of galvanized metal, phosphatic fertilizersand sewage sludge. Out of the cadmium input intothe oceans, around 50% is anthropogenic.In human beings, cadmium in high levels cancause depressed growth in children, kidney damage,cardiac enlargement, hyper tension, foetal deformityand cancer. In humans, cadmium concentrationabove 200-400 ppm in kidney tissue can lead to renaldamage. Kidney malfunction has been reported incetaceans when liver concentrations of Cd exceeded20 ppm wet weight (Fujiso et al., 1988).Decadal trend of Cd (µg g-1) in sediment inVembanad Estuary is plotted based on the datarecorded at FEM Division, CMFRI, from 1994 – 2006.The Cd concentration was above the NOAA probableeffect level (above 4.2 ppm) in harbour region, duringOctober to January in 1999, 2001, 2003 – 2004 and2006 (Fig. 3).In the barmouth region, the concentrations wereabove PEL (above 4.2 ppm) in October 2001,October - December  2003, January – February 2004and October 2006 (Fig. 3).Fig. 3. Decadal trend of Cd (µg g-1) in sediment inVembanad EstuaryIn 10 m depth inshore sediment, theconcentrations were above PEL (above 4.2 ppm) inDecember 1998, September 1999, November 2000,September – October 2001, September – December2003 and January-February 2004 (Fig. 4). Theinshore sediment at 20 m depth showedconcentrations above PEL (above 4.2 ppm) inSeptember–November 1999, December 2000,September 2001, October – December 2003 andJanuary – February 2004 (Fig. 4). The incidence ofcadmium above PEL is 9.5% of the total observations(N = 421). Here also, the occurrence of levels abovePEL was mainly during post-monsoon andpre-monsoon months and the resident time did notexceed 3-4 months. With the onset of monsoon, thelevel of metal became low and therefore nopermanent binding of the metal occurs. Theenrichment factor for cadmium also showed valuesMarine Fisheries Information Service T&E Ser., No. 213, 2012 9of high anthropogenic influence in post andpre-monsoon seasons which became nullified inmonsoon. The inherent metal content of thesesediments did not reach level for potential risk.Fig. 4. Decadal trend of Cd (µg g-1) in nearshore sedimentoff CochinThough the estuarine and inshore sediments offCochin came within the class of unpolluted to slightlypolluted, over the decadal analysis, the importancefor continuous investigation for potential risk doesnot cease, since the anthropogenic and industrialpressure increases invariably in the present scenarioin Cochin. Hence the need for surveillance as wellas control increases. Creating awareness of thepotential setback among the public, industrialists,fishermen, youth and policy makers throughparticipatory approach for reducing the contaminationthrough regulatory and non-regulatory volunteerpractices becomes a must in current approach formanagement of this crisis.Strontium to calcium (Sr/Ca) ratio in otolith as a  tool for stockdiscrimination of  oilsardine and mackerelD. Prema,   K. K. Valsala, V. Kripa, K. Vijayakumaran, P. K. Krishnakumar, V. V. Singh,P. S. Asha, Bindu Sulochanan, Pratibha Rohit, Subhadeep Ghosh, M. Rajagopalan,Joe K. Kizhakudan,  P. Hemasankari, U. Ganga, S. Veena, G. S. Bhat, H. R. Umesh,P. S.  Anilkumar, S. M. Bhint,  A. K.  Basha and S. LavanyaCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute, KochiOtoliths are found in the membranous labyrinthof the inner ear of teleost fish and serve mainly inbalancing the organism. They are composed ofcalcium carbonate and are deposited rhythmicallyas aragonite crystals within a protein matrix. Theyhave long been used in fish aging studies. Recently,changes in the strontium (Sr): calcium (Ca) ratios inotoliths have received increasing attention, as theseprovide a method of reconstructing  environmentalhistory of the fish. Strontium is a calcium analoguesharing a similar crystal ionic radius and cansubstitute for Ca in the aragonite lattice of otoliths.The Sr concentration in seawater is approximately100 fold greater than that in freshwater (Campana,1999), and a good relationship exists between otolithSr:Ca ratios and ambient salinities (Secor et al., 1995,Tzeng, 1996). Thus Sr:Ca ratios in otoliths havewidely been applied for studying habitat use andmigratory behaviour of fish (Chang et al., 2004)and in stock discrimination (Volpedo andCerelli, 2006).As a part of the in-house project on the “Impactand yield study of environmental changes on thedistribution shifts in small pelagics along  the Indiancoast”,  otolith chemistry  with special reference toSr/Ca ratio in otolith collected from  different zonesof the Indian coast were worked out for oilsardine(Sardinella longiceps) and mackerel (Rastrelligerkanagurta).  Database on  Sr/Ca ratio of otolith ofoilsardine and mackerel were developed  in theFishery Environment Management  Division (FEMD)of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute(CMFRI), Kochi. The locations of otolith collectionwere : Veraval (Gujarat), Mumbai (Maharashtra),Karwar and Mangalore (Karnataka), Mandapam,Tuticorin and Chennai (Tamil Nadu),Visakhapatanam (Andhra Pradesh) and Cochin(Kearala)  covering the Indian coast from differentregional/research centres and headquarter ofCMFRI. Cochin.   The salient findings fromthe  analysis carried out on this database ispresented here.211-

Database on trace metal levels in the Indian marine ecosystem: decadal

trends of lead and cadmium in sediment off Cochin

http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/9303/1/84.pdf

Database on trace metal levels in the Indian marine ecosystem: decadal trends of lead and cadmium in sediment off Cochin

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