Occurrence, spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of trace elements in surface sediments of rivers and coastal areas of the East Coast of Bangladesh, North-East Bay of Bengal

Coastal and estuarine ecosystems provide habitats for many organisms. Recently, the estuaries and coastal areas of the East Coast of Bangladesh have become heavily contaminated due to dumping of untreated wastewater into the rivers from a number of different industries. The current study analyzes potentially toxic elements contamination in surface sediments of the Karnaphuli, Sangu, Bakkhali and Naf Rivers, Kutubdia and Moheshkhali Channel, and St. Martin's Island, and assesses the consequent ecological risks. The pollution load index (PLI), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk (PER) indices show that the contaminated sediments have negative effects on the aquatic environments. The PLI values ranged between 0.45 and 1.67, which suggests the severity of trace-element contamination. The mean Igeo values showed the sediments range from uncontaminated to heavily contaminated state. The Enrichment Factor (EF) values suggested that the sediments were contaminated by anthropogenic sources, and PER values demonstrate that sites at Sangu, Naf and St Martin's Island are less contaminated compared to sites at Karnaphuli, Bakkhali, Kutubdia and Moheshkhali. Overall, results showed that Karnaphuli river is the most contaminated and St Martin's Island is the least based on the spatial distribution of PLI, Cd, PER and n-ary sumation TUs of trace metals in surface sediments. Comparing with the neighboring countries, the concentrations of Cd and Pb were found to be higher while Cr is lower in the East Coast of Bangladesh than the estuarine and coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal rim countries. The present study reveals that the lack of water quality guidelines in Bangladesh for the coastal, estuarine and marine water escalated the dumping of untreated wastewater. Immediate measures need to be taken to address the ecological risks so that an effective management program can be undertaken. A systematic approach for collecting pollutant data and use of isotopes to trace anthropogenic sources of contamination is recommended for pollutants like toxic metals, pesticides and other contaminants in sediment and aquatic products in the entire coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

Coastal and estuarine ecosystems in the East Coast of Bangladesh have been heavily contaminated due to dumping of untreated wastewater from industries. The study analyzes toxic elements contamination in surface sediments and assesses ecological risks, finding negative effects on aquatic environments. Immediate measures are recommended to address ecological risks and a systematic approach for collecting pollutant data and tracing anthropogenic sources of contamination is suggested for the entire Bay of Bengal coastal waters.