Trace metals pollution in seawater and groundwater in the ship breaking area of Sitakund Upazilla, Chittagong, Bangladesh

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2013-06, Vol.71 (1-2), p.317-324
• Main Authors: Hasan, Asma Binta, Kabir, Sohail, Selim Reza, A.H.M., Zaman, Mohammad Nazim, Ahsan, Mohammad Aminul, Akbor, Mohammad Ahedul, Rashid, Mohammad Mamunur
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; arsenic; Bangladesh; Biological and medical sciences; Breaking; cadmium; Chittagong; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Groundwater; Groundwater - chemistry; groundwater contamination; Iron; lead; manganese; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; mercury; Mercury (metal); Metals - analysis; Pollution; principal component analysis; saltwater intrusion; sampling; Sea water; Sea water ecosystems; seawater; Seawater - chemistry; Ship breaking; Ships; Sitakund Upazilla; Synecology; Trace metals; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water pollution; Water Pollution, Chemical - statistics & numerical data; water quality standards; World Health Organization
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.01.028

► Iron and Hg strongly polluted sea water. ► Mn and Al moderately polluted but Cd and Pb slightly polluted the sea water. ► Iron, Pb, and Hg strongly polluted groundwater. ► Mn and Al moderately polluted but As slightly contaminated the groundwater. ► Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, As, Al and Hg of sea water exceeded the average concentrations of elements. This study reveals potential accumulation of trace metals in the sea and groundwater due to ship breaking activities which take place along the Bay of Bengal in Sitakund Upazilla, Chittagong, Bangladesh. When compared with WHO and Bangladesh domestic standards for water quality, it is revealed that seawater was strongly polluted by Fe and Hg, moderately by Mn and Al, and slightly by Pb and Cd. Groundwater was strongly polluted by Fe, Pb and Hg, moderately by Mn and Al, and slightly by As. Trace element concentrations of all seawater samples exceeded the average concentration of elements in the Earth’s seawater. The application of Principal Components Analysis identified two sources of pollution–marine and ship breaking. The mechanism of groundwater pollution inferred that if seawater is polluted, nearby groundwater is also polluted with trace metals due to the influence of seawater intrusion.