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A L.-‘. .iw' .'L. flar.
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i V : i r \ R j l i ' i i l ’ 'P’O j l d - i U ' r i O l V Dr-P. K A L A liH A R A N , SENIOR SClENTiy'!'
CMFRi. ViSAK CEM I'RB. A.i'
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M a rin e e n v i r o n m t ’ni p ^ c iic u ia rly , the c o a sta l ant! c s i u a r i n e z o n e ? arc x’u l n c r a b l c io p o ilu iio n b e c a u s e o f in c re a s in g a n ll i r o p o g e n i c a c tiv ilie s like fis h in g , r e c re a tio n , s h i p p i n g a n d a q u a c y j i u r c . S o m e o l t h e s e a re a s a r c n o w u n d e r ih c d i r c c t t h r e a t fronj the in c r e a s i n g load o f v a r io u s p o Jh iia n ls . B e a c h c s and e v e n o c e a n s h a v e lu n i e d o u t to be d u m p i n g s ite s o l ' d o m e s t i c vva.sti.'s. i n d u s t r i a l e f il u e n ts . h y d r o c a r b o n s a n d so lid w a s t e m a tc r ia ia . M a o r p o l k i t a n l s in c k id e h e a v y m e ta ls, p e r s is te n t o r g a n ic p o llu ta n ts > P O P s ) s u c h a s p o l y c h l o r i n a t e d b i p h e n y l s ( P C B ) . o r g a n ic c h l o r i n e p e s t i c i d e s (O C R s ), o il a n d g re a s e etc. U N E P h a s e n v i s a g e d a g l o b a l p r o j c c t t o a s s e s s th e i m p a c t o f p e r s is t e n t to x ic s u b s t a n c e s ( P ”.'S ) o n h u m a n h e a lth a n d o n the e n v i r o n m e n t . U n d e r th is p ro jc c t. 1 6 0 c o u n t r i e s h a v e b e e n d iv i d e d into 12 r c g io a s . T lic In d ia n O c e a n f a ll s in th e s ix th z o n e . In this artic le , tiic r e c e n t e n v i r o n m e n ta l c h a n g e s a n d c h a l l e n g e s in o u r co a s ta l an d m a r i n e c n v i r o n m e n i is d i s c u s s e d b riefly. S e v e r a l w a te r b o d i e s in the c(uuur\- are in n tc rta l c h a n g e s o f p o l l u ti o n c a u s e d by c x c e s s i v c s e w a g e . ind{i.slnai eDliJent.s. J c r t i l i / e r a n d p e s t i c i d c ru n -o ff.
The s ea s a r o u n d In d ia h a v e s e v e r a l h o i s p o t s w i t h re g a r d to th e rm a l w a s te s , n u c l e a r w a s t e s atid oil p o l l u ti o n . A n d a m a n a n d N icobav a r c h i p e l a g o is
c o n s id e r e d c o m p a r a t i v e l y c l e a n e r (o ttie p e n i n s u l a r In d ian Coa.sts as th ey a r e fa r a w a y fro m the re a c h o l in d u s tria l e f flu e n ts fro m the m a in la n d . H o w e v e r , th e re c e n t in v e s tig a tio n s re v e a l th a t t h e s e a re a s a r e c o n t a m i n a te d w i t h m e ta ls , h y d r o c a r b o n s a n d p estic id e s . E v e n th e p ris tin e e n v i r o n m e n t in p o l a r r e g io n s is fou n d c o n t a m i n a t e d w ith a e ro s o ls a n d h y d r o c a r b o n a te d p o ly e th y le n e d e r iv a tiv e s { M a b u r y ei a l.,2 0 0 5 ).
Metal Pollution
A m o n g th e p o llu ta n ts , th e h e a v y m e t a l n e e d s sp e c ia l m e n t i o n a s it is k e y i n d i c a t o r o f th e im p a c t o f i n d u s tria liz a tio n . M e ta l c o n t e n t o t w a te r v a r ie s f r o m p la c e to p la c e d u e to d iffe re n t g e o g r a p h ic a l fe atu res, g e o c h e m i c a l e n v i r o n m e n t a n d in d u s tria l p o l l u ti o n . It is r e a s o n a b le to a s s u m e th a t th e v a r ia t io n o f trac e e l e m e n t c o n t e n t o f w a te r w ill d e f in i t e l y r e f le c t in th e t ra c e e l e m e n t c o n t e n t o f s e d i m e n t a n d h e n c e in th e t i s s u e liv in g in th e a m b i e n t c o lu m n . T h e c a p a c i t y o f s o m e m a r i n e a n i m a l s a n d p l a n t s to a c c u m u l a t e to x ic trac e m e t a l s in th e i r tis su e s, f a r in e x c e s s o f a m b i e n t level is th e t o p i c o f c u r re n t interest. I n f o r m a t i o n o n th e b i o a c c u m u l a t i o n o f h e a v y m e t a l s in m a r i n e o r g a n is m s f r o m o p e n s e a ( B a j t e r e l a i , 1972; K u r e i s h y e t al., 1981; K u r e i s h y a /., 198 2 ) is n o t s o c o m m o n as is fr o m c o a s ta l a re a s
( l . a \ s i i m a n a n a n d N a n ib i s a n . l'>83; K r i s h n a k u m a r e< a l.. 1990;
K a la d h ara ii d a/., 1999: K a l a d h a r a n e / 2005; K a la d h a r a n e i a /..2 0 0 5 a ; Pale! <■/ a!.. \ 9 85; I’r e m a c l a l.. 2 0 0 6 ; S a n k a r a n a r a y a n a n (7^//.. 1978).
S p atial a n d te m p o ra l in o n itQ rin g o f h e a v y m e ta l is v e ry m u c h e s s e n tia l for id e n tify in g h o t s p o ts . S ta tu s of c o a s ta l p o l l u ti o n c a n be a s s e s s e d w ith t h e th ree tie r d e t e c t i o n m e c h a n i s m f r o m w a te r , s e d i m e n t an d tissu e s a m p le s . M u r a li d h a r a n a n d O u s e p h (1 9 8 9 ) h a v e s t u d i e d th e d is trib u tio n o f ce rta in m a jo r, m i n o r a n d tra c e e l e m e n t s in t h e n e a r s h o re s e d i m e n t o f f so u th w e s t c o a s t o f I n d i a a n d t h e y n o t i c e d t h a t th e c o n c e n tra tio n o f tra c e e l e m e n t s vary- w i t h s e d i m e n t t e x t u r e a n d o r g a n ic m a tte r c o n ic n l. C o a s ta l m a rin e p o l l u t i o n in T a m i l n a d u w a s r e v i e w e d b y R a m a c h a n d r a n a n d N a ia ra ja n (1 9 ^9). S e d i m e n t s a r e i n d i c a t o r s o f th e q u a lity o f w a te r o v e r la y in g t h e m a n d h e n c e th e i r s tu d y i s u s e f u l in the a s s e s s m e n t o f e n v iro n m e n ta l p o l l u ti o n . The n a t u r e a n d e x t e n t o f
flu c tu a tio n in th e c o m p o s i t i o n a n d o r g a n i c t n a t t e r c o n t e n t o f s e d im e n ts c a n in d icate th e ex te n l o f s t r e s s in a n e n v i r o n m e n t . H e a v y m e ta l c o n c e n t r a ti o n in v a rio u s tissu e s o f g r e e n m u s s e l , P e r n a v ir id is fr o m th e intertidal w a te r s o f K a lp a k k a n i, C h e n n a i w a s s t u d i e d b y W e s le y a n d S a n je e v a ra i (1 9 8 3 ) . S e n th iln a ih a i a n d B a i a s u b r a m a n i a n ( 1 9 9 9 ) h a v e e v a lu a te d the e x te n t o f d i s t r i b u ti o n o f C u , C d , Z n a n d P b in w a te r , s e d i m e n t a n d p la n k to n from P o n d ic h e r r y h a rb o u r.
P rofile o f C a d n iiu in . Z in c. C o p p e r a n d L.ead from s e d i n i e i u an d four s p e c ie s o f fish tis s u e s a m p l e s fro m e s t u a r i n e an d in s h o re r e g io n s o f C o c iiin w e re a n a ly s e d fro m th e m o n ih ly d a ta , c o llec ted d u rin g 19 9 0 to
1998 a b o a rd R .W .C a J a /m in ( K a la d h a r a n a a l..2 0 0 5 ). A n n u a l m e a n lev e ls o f Z inc in N e m ip ie r u s j c i p o n k m r e g is te re d g ra d u a lly d e c r e a s in g trend to w a r d s 1998 w i t h a p e a k (35 p p m ) d u rin g i 9 9 2 . S i m i l a r trend w a s a l s o o b s e r v e d in M e u ip e n a e u s ilo h s o n i a n d S im e lla .sc rip ia H o w e v e r, a n In c re a sin g t r e n d w a s n o t i c e d in O ioli/hii.s n ih e r , re g is te rin g a p e a k (9 p p m ) d u rin g 199 5. L ea d c o n c e n t r a ti o n s w ere h ig h e r in p r a w n f o l l o w e d by N e m ip ie r u s j a p o n i c u s w ith a n in c re a s in g trend. O n th e o t h e r h a n d , C a d m i u m a n d C o p p e r le v e ls s h o w e d a d e c re a s in g tre n d w i t h p e a k le v e ls in N e m ip ie r u s (C d 0 .5 8 p p m . C u 10.
43 p p m ) an d p r a w n ( C d 1.16 , C u 8 .8 7 p p m ) t h a n the m o l lu s c s a n d the c r o a k e r species. L e v e l s o f th e s e f o u r m e t a l s in s e d i m e n t w e re h i g h e r in in s h o re re g io n s th a n in th e e s tu a r in e areas. C o p p e r . L e a d a n d C a d m i u m c o m e n t in s e d i m e n t s o f e s t u a r i n e as well as th e in s h o re r e g io n s s h o w e d a n in cre a s in g tre n d o v e r the n in e y e a r s s t u d y p e rio d . H o w e v e r , the lev e ls o f Z i n c s h o w e d n o sig n iH c a n t v a r ia tio n in the in.shore region.s an d a m a r k e d d e c re a s in g t r e n d in th e e s tu a rin a re g io n s .
C o m p a r a t i v e a c c o u n t o f i n c t a i c o n c e n t r a t i o n ( u g / g d n ' >vt) in
m a r i n e s e d i m e n t a n d ti s s u e s ( A v e r a g e f r o m m o n t h l y v a l u e s f r o m 1 9 9 0 -1 9 9 8 )
M e t a l s I y e r , L o n « t V o / W H 0 1 9 8 7 K a h u l h a r a n e / « / K a l a d h a r a n £>/«/
C . S . P ( 1 9 9 5 ) Permissible ( 2 0 0 5 ) (2 0 0 5 )
(1 9 9 4 ) S e d i m e n t I'^vcls in ilsh S e d i m e n t T i s s u e s a m p l e s
C u
C d
Z n
P b 0- 90
108
1 - 6 .7 4.2
271
and sciit'ooci 130
9 .0
In s h o re E s t u a t ^
3 5 .0 4 3 3 .0 8
S'cmiplerus 7 .5 2 4 Otolilhiis 0 .5 9 2
; Melapenaeiis5.155
217
9.0
Sunetia 3 .613
I n s h o re 0 1 . 7 4 ' ' Nemipterus 0 .3 6 5
E s t u a r y 01.51 Ololithus 0 .0 3 6
Metapenaeus 0 .2 4 4
Simeiia 0 . 671
I n s h o r e 135.43 Nemipterus 2 3 .9 8 2 E s tu a r y 1 2 6 .3 8 Ololilhtis 5 .2 8 6 Metapenaeus 16.141
Sunetia 2 2 .0 0 7
I n s h o r e 3 r 4 9 ” ' Nemiptems 0r6^5
E s tu a r y 2 8 .0 4 Ololithus 0 .3 8 8
Metapenaeus 0 .653 ... Stinello 0 .5 2 6
e tis su e o f n in e s p e c i e s o f c o m m e r c i a l l y im p o r t a n t m a rin e t i s h e s c o l l e c t e d f r o m P o r t B l a i r
( A n d a m a n s ) a n d a t K o c h i ( K erala, .souili w e s t coa.st) w e re c o n i p a i e d to stu d y the level o f b io a c c u n n ila tio ii with r e fe r o a c e to tlic a i n b i e n t w a te r a n d se d im e n t, a i m e d at w h e th e r these !e\cl.s ca n be c o m p a r a b l e as r e fe r e n c e lev e ls fo r th e p e n i n s u l a r r e s o u r c e s at the m a in la n d . f;x ce p t M n a n d Z n. all o t h e r m e ta ls su c h as C d . C u . i'e. Ni a n d P b w e re b e l o w d e te c tio n le v e ls in ihe s a m p l e s c o lle c te d fro m P o rt B lair.
C o m p a r e d to t h e s a m e s p e c ie s a n d s i m il a r s iz e from K o c h i. M n in S a u r id a tu m h i! ( 1 7 .8 5 j.ig/g ) a n d Z n in E p in e p h ilis la iiv im i (97.1 l ^ g / g ) fr o m P o rt B la ir w e r e a t h i g h e r levels. S a m p l e s from S a m p l e s fro m K o c h i re c o rd e d a c c u m u l a t i o n o f 1.42 | i g / g C d a n d 2 7 1 |i g / g . Fe in R a s tr e llig e r k a n a g u r ta , 11.3 |4g/g C u in S a r d in e lla g ib b o s u a n d 83.3
|ig /g P b in S o n r id ii tu m h il. B arin g P b, th e b i o a c c u m u l a t i o n o f all o t h e r m e ta ls in th e fish s a m p l e s w a s w ith in th e W H O p re s c rib e d sa fe lim its.
C o m p a r e d to th e l e v e ls o f P b in s e d i m e n t ( 5 9 . 7 6 ^ig/g) a n d w a t e r (1 .8
|4g/l) fr o m P o r t B la ir, l o w e r v a lu e w a s r e c o r d e d in th e s e d i m e n t (7.5 jxg/g) a n d h i g h e r v a l u e s in w a te r (2 .1 7 )ig /l) fr o m K o c h i. S ig n i f ic a n t c o r re la tio n c o u l d n o t b e e s t a b l i s h e d b e tw e e n th e m e t a l l e v e l s o f S e d i m e n t an d w a t e r s a m p l e s n e i t h e r fr o m P o rt B lair n o r K o c h i.
S ig n if ic a n t c o r r e l a t i o n t o 0.01 level c o u l d b e e s t a b lis h e d p o s itiv e ly b e t w e e n w a te r a n d L P a r s ia . E. ta u v h ia a n d S .lo n g ic e p s as w e ll as P .l o n g i m a m s a n d R. k a n a g u r ta w ith s e d i m e n t fr o m K ochi.
Levels o f metals in seawater (^ig/1), sediment (^g/g dry wt) and fish muscle tissue (j^ig/g dry wt) collected from Port Blair and Kochi.
No. Samples Location Metals
Cd Cu Fe Mn Ni
Pb Zn
1. P enfaprio n lo n g im a n u s PortBlair 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 0,0 0.0 16.9
Pentaprion longimanus Kochi
0.0 0.0 68.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 28.8
2. N e m /p fe ru sya p o n icu s Port Blair 0.0. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.8
Nemipterus japonicus
Kochi 0.0 4,6 29,6 0,0 0.0 72.6 11.1
3. 5ard/ne/ta g ib b o s a Port Blair 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 45.6
Sardinella gibbosa
Kochi 0,0 11,3 35.2 0.0 0,0 0.9 31.8
4. Liza parsio Port Blair 0.0 0.0 0.0
] , 7 0 . 0 0 . 0 1.2
Liza parsia
Kochi 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0,0 0,0 22,7
5. Epinephelus ta u v in a Port Bioir 0,09 0.0 0.0 0,0 0.0 0,0 97.1
0.0 0.0
Epinephelus tauvinaKochi GO 0,0
0.0 0,0 14.1
6. Sourida tum bil Porf Blair 0.0 0-0 0.0 17.8
0.00.0 39.7
Saufida tumbil
Koctii 0.0 2.9 12,9 0.0 0.0 83.3 16.4
7. Rastrelliger k a n a g u rfo P o ri Blair 0.0 0.0 0.0 0,0
0.0 0.0 6.1 ■
Rastrelliger kanagurta
Kochi 1,4 0,89 271.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 46.1
8. Sordinella lo n g ic e p s Port Blair 0.0 0.0 0,0 4.1 0.0 0.0 54.8
Sardinella longiceps
Kochi 0,0 0,0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 49.6
9. D e c a p fe ru s russelli Port Blair 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.9
Decapterus russelli
Kochi 0.0 4.2 25,4
0.24 0.0 75.3 33.3
10. W ater Port BIcir 0.22 3.89 0.0 0.0
0.0 1.8 0.0
Water Kochi 0,35 1.60 0,0 0.0
0.0 2.2 17,1
11, S edim ent Port Blair 3.78 5.53 2921
94.6 23.7 59.8 6.5
Sediment Kochi 5.33 19.0 9020 136,5
38.8 7.5 97.8
lev e ls r a n g in g fro m 0.03 lo 1.1 ug/! and ihe liigh levels fire attribiiied to r u n o f f fro m m a j o r rivers.
Pesticide & PCB pollution
D D T w a s intro d u ce tl in th e 1940s as w o n d e r c h e m ic a l to fig h t a g a in s t c r o p p e s t s a n d M a la r ia . T w e n ty y ears b e f o r e d e v e lo p e d c o u n trie s h a v e b a n n e d th e u se o f D D T . In 1996 m a r i n e p o l l u ti o n by D D T w a s s h o w n to a n e x te n d t o th u re m o t e s t areas o f th e w o rld . D D T a n d d ie ld rin w e r e d e te c te d e v e n in A n t a r c t i c fa u n a - P e n g u i n s (G e o rg e
& F rea r, 1 9 6 6 ; S la d d e r e l a l . 1 9 9 6 ). T h e effec t o f p e s tic id e s u p o n m o llu s c s , p a rtic u la rly b iv a lv e s , ovAag, to t h e i r e c o n o m ic v a l u e as fo o d , is o f c o n s i d e r a b l e im p o rta n c e as t h e y h a v e t h e ab ility to c o n c e n t r a te the p e s tic id e in t h e i r b ody . P e s tic id e s c a n a f f e c t th e o r g a n is m s d ire c tly an d in d irec tly b y a lte r in g e c o lo g ic a l r e la t io n s h i p s (M o o re , 1 976). B u tle r ei al. (1 9 6 0 ) f o u n d O C P s a t c o n c e n t r a t i o n s a s l o w as o n e p a rt in 100 m illio n w a s a b l e to in h ib it t h e a c t iv i t y a n d g r o w t h o f o y s te r s w ith in 24 h o u rs o f e x p o s u r e . Larval m o l l u s c s a r e m u c h m o r e v u ln e r a b le to p e s t i c i d e s as t h e y a r e k ille d e v e n a t l o w e r c o n c e n tra tio n s . B u t le r ( 1 9 6 6 ) fo u n d th a t c l a m s an d o y sters a r e a b l e to c o n c e n t r a te p e s t i c i d e s fro m the m e d i u m b y f a c t o r s o f 7 0 ,0 0 0 o r g re a te r. A s a p a rt o f t h e n a tio n a l
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Mcrcui'N is a n t’uroiu.’cic unc' p c p h r o t o x i c m e(al. It ciin c a u s e gciviioxiL: (.iatnage? in. il.sh. po p u lr.t!o n s. In d ia s r n e r c u j y oonsiini[Mi(ui is on 'lie rise w h e n lilc'biu p ro d i i c t i o n of inercui'x fa llin g d ra s tic a ll'. (Vinii 6 9 0 0 rn e lric tonc.s p e r a n n u m in 19S1 to I-SOd n ic tric l o n c s p e r a n n u m in 200f'. Inciia's a n n u a l m e r c u r y i m p o r t w a s b e t w e e n 170- 191) t o n n e s d u r i n g 1998 - 2 0 0 1 w h i c h ' v a s 1 0 % o t fhe tol;il gU'bal con.sum ptiiin. VK’h en o n e g m <<1'mercury is s u l l l c i e n l to c o n t a m i n a t e a l a k e b i g g e r tluin S h e c t a r e s , a n a s c r a g e iho.spitai in D e lh i re le a s e s ( b r e a k a g e o f t h e r m o m e t e r s , d e n ta l a m a l g a m s e t c ) a b o u t 3 k g o f the m e t a l a n n u a lly - r e v e a ls t h e r e c e n t s iu d y c o n d u c t e d b y t h e M i n is tn ,’ o f e n v i r o n m e n t a n d F o r e s t s N e w D e lh i. C h l c r a l k a l i industr>' m a n u f a c t u r i n g c a u s ti c s o d a is o n e o f th e Eargest s o u r c e s o f m e r c u r y w a s t e . H u m a n s a r e e x p o s e d t o m e r c u r y : h r o u g h d i e t a i y fish , s i n c e m c r c u r ) ' is a tra n s -b o u n d a r> ' p o llu ta n t. E a tin g .seafood w ith h i g h le v e ls o f m e r c u r y c a n a ffe c t th e b r a i n d e v e l o p m e n t o f o l d e r c h i l d r e n . W h a l e s , d o l p h i n s a n d m a r l i n s a c c u m u l a t e h ig h le v e ls o f m e r c u r y in th e i r tis su e s . D i s s o l v e d m e r c u i y in t h e w e s t c o a s t o f I n d i a r a n g e d u p lo 0 . 0 5 8 ug/1 d u r i n g th e p r e - m o n s o o n p e r i o d . M o w ev e r. th e l e v e ls i n c r e a s e d d u r i n g the S W m o n s o o n a n d p o s t m o n s o o n p e r io d c o n s i d e r a b l y a l o n g t h e c o a s t w i t h s o m e h o ts p o ts (0.3 to 0 . 3 9 ug/1) a d j o i n i n g o f f V e r a v a l a n d in th e W a d g e b a n k ( K a l a d h a r a n e t a i . 1 999b). E a s t c o a s t o f I n d i a r e g is t e r e d
