Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Marine Sediments of Various Sites in Karaichalli Island, Tuticorin, Gulf of Mannar, India

The study of heavy metals in the sediments of coral islands is significant in understanding the distribution levels and the cause of anthropogenic impacts along the marine environment. A large number of heavy metals is discharged through domestic and industrial effluents along the coastal area of the southeast coast of India. In this work the sediments from Karaichalli island of Tuticorin were collected and the samples subjected to a total digestion technique and major and trace elements concentration estimated. To interpret and assess the contamination status for heavy metals in sediments, four metal pollution indices were assessed using a enrichment factor, a geo-accumulation index, contamination factor and pollution load index. The results were treated with SPSS 16.0 software for statistical analysis like Correlation matrix and Principal component analysis. The average metal accumulation levels in coral samples of the study area is in the following order: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd > As > Co.