Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

BIO-ACCUMULATION OF HEAVY METALS IN SOME AQUATIC SPECIES CONECTED IN THE JAMSHEDPUR STRETCH OF KHARKAI RIVER OF CHOTANAGPUR PLATEAU, INDIA

S. Ghosal, P. Dasgupta, G. Bhattacharya, S. Bhattacharjee and A.K. Sinha

Abstract

Bio-accumulation of some heavy metals has been observed in Lepidocephalichthyes guntea (Local name Gunthi), Palaemon malcolmsoni (Local name : Jhinga, Chingri) and Thiara sp. (snail) collected in the Jamshedpur stretch of Kharkai river of Chotanagpur plateau, India. Kharkai, which is a principal tributary of Subarnarekha river, encircles, the entire industrial belt of Jamshedpur township. The concentration of heavy metals in the river water, riverbed soil and aquatic species obtained therein point towards the accumulation of these metals in soil as well as living organisms. These findings clearly demonstrate the fact that Kharkai is a metal polluted river and un- derscores the need to take immediate abatement measures.