Heavy Metals in Water, Sediments, and Aquatic Macrophytes: River Hindon, India

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, Pb, and Ni) were investigated in water, sediments, and aquatic macrophytes (Eichhornia crassipes and Nelumbo nucifera) collected from the River Hindon, India. Quantitative analysis of data and evaluation of potential ecological risk index (RI) indicated that the river Hindon is suffering from serious metal contamination. Statistical analyses (cluster analysis and correlation analysis) suggested that heavy metal pollution in the river originates from anthropogenic sources, especially industrial and urban discharges. The study also revealed that the heavy metals were selectively accumulated in different parts of the aquatic macrophytes. Metal translocation factor (MTF) estimation of Eichhornia and Nelumbo sp. highlighted their phyto-remediation potential (Cd, Mn, Pb, and Ni), the latter being an unexplored plant species for such studies.