Trace elements in Endectyon fruticosa collected from a sewage outfall site, Therespuram, Tuticorin coast, India

Abstract

Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve extends from Rameswaram to Tuticorin coast supporting a large biodiversity of marine organisms especially corals and sponges. During recent past, Tuticorin has become a major recipient of contaminants from both domestic and industries surrounding the coast. The sewage outfall site located close to the sea which is directly dumping its effluents into the open sea has resulted in the significant enrichment of trace elements (TEs). Samples of seawater and Endectyon fruticosa were collected at three different stations (S1, S2 and S3) along a gradient of distance from sewage outfall site, and the six TEs Pb (lead), Mn (manganese), Ba (Barium), V (vanadium), Mo (molybdenum) and Sb (antimony) were measured in seawater and tissues of E. fruticosa using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrophotometer (ICP-MS). Station S1 close to the sewage outfall site has shown high concentration of Pb, Mn, Ba, V, Mo and Sb when compared to far regions (S2 and S3). The decreasing order of accumulation of TEs in both seawater and E. fruticosa was same order of magnitude in all the collected three stations (S1, S2 and S3) Pb > Mn > Ba > V > Mo > Sb. The concentration of TEs in seawater and E. fruticosa were relatively more near the sewage outfall site when compared to the other far regions. Thus, E. fruticosa can be used as an effective biomonitor to evaluate the concentration of TEs from point source (S1) to far regions (S2 and S3).