Estimation of heavy metals in sediments and aquatic plant species in two rivers of Punjab, Pakistan

Figures & data

Figure 1. Map showing all sampling points (Headwork’s) of rivers Ravi and Chenab.

Table 1. Heavy metal concentration (mean ± standard error µg/g) in sediments at various barrage sites of river Ravi.

Heavy metal	EPA-US ^a(TEC limits)	^bS1	^cS2	^dS3	^eS4
Cr	43	4.89 ± 0.1	40.42 ± 0.78	36.09 ± 0.44	17.37 ± 0.17
Mn	460	0	730.21 ± 0.71	612.71 ± 0.51	101.79 ± 0.33
Ni	23	12.59 ± 0.12	181.52 ± 0.54	191.29 ± 0.72	209.10 ± 0.56
Cu	32	3.74 ± 0.11	38.77 ± 0.644	31.62 ± 0.22	17.5 ± 0.18
Zn	120	7.98 ± 0.1	411.23 ± 0.76	189.01 ± 0.45	251.0 ± 0.59
Co	50	2.99 ± 0.11	9.76 ± 0.32	11.21 ± 0.66	3.20 ± 0.12

^a Threshold effect concentration (TEC); ^bS1, Ravi Siphon, ^cS2, Baradari; ^dS3, Balloki Headwork’s; ^eS4, Sydnai Headwork’s.

Table 2. Heavy metal concentration (mean ± standard error, µg/g) in sediments at different barrage of river Chenab.

Heavy metal	EPA-US (TEC limits)	S5^a	^bS6	^cS7	^dS8
Cr	43	7.15 ± .0.9	12.20 ± .11	29.12 ± .56	8.98 ± .34
Mn	460	41.66 ± .13	258.09 ± .56	519.47 ± 0.42	145.80 ± 0.54
Ni	23	1.05 ± 0.12	1.34 ± 0.23	141.21 ± 0.65	1.37 ± 0.34
Cu	32	8.75 ± 0.34	14.57 ± 0.87	21.89 ± 0.34	8.59 ± 0.56
Zn	120	49.32 ± 0.12	89.07 ± 0.35	274.30 ± 0.56	175.81 ± 0.49
Co	50	2.01 ± 0.45	2.10 ± 0.26	7.90 ± 0.32	1.22 ± 0.64

^a S5, Head Marala; ^bS6, Head Qadirabad, ^cS7, Head Khanki; ^dS8, Trimmu Headwork’s.

Table 3. Bioconcentration factor of heavy metals in plants of river Ravi.

Element	Polygonum barbatum (at S1)	Typha angustifolia (at S2)	Pistia stratiotes (at S3)	Typha angustifolia (at S4)
Cr	61.15	82.14	71.77	90.39
Mn	47.92	56.08	78.91	56.33
Co	33.78	30.64	66.01	31.25
Ni	41.38	66.58	71.81	40.99
Cu	32.09	85.43	90.70	66.86
Zn	54.01	73.41	81.27	59.96

Table 4. Bioconcentration Factor of heavy metals in plants of River Chenab.

Element	Echinocloa crussgulli (at S5)	Typha angustifolia (at S6)	Poygonum aviculture (at S7)	Poygonum aviculture (at S8)
Cr	54.55	91.80	41.20	57.35
Mn	36.89	46.99	76.43	65.89
Co	98.36	54.73	4.29	48.10
Ni	2.86	76.12	75.91	55.95
Cu	70.86	75.29	53.20	66.61
Zn	61.74	82.06	92.64	97.30

Table 5. Pearson correlation of heavy metals in sediments with heavy metals in plants at various barrages of river Ravi.

	Cu plants	Ni plants	Zn plants	Mn plants	Cr plants	Co plants
Sediments Cu	.994**	–	–	–	–	–
Sediments Ni	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sediments Zn	–	–	986*	–	–	–
Sediments Mn	–		–	–	–	–
Sediments Cr	–	–	–	–	.978*	–
Sediments Co	–	–	–	–	–	–

*Correlation is significant at 0.05 levels, ** Correlation is significant at 0.01 levels.

Table 6. Pearson correlation of heavy metals in sediments with heavy metals in plants at various barrages of river Chenab.

	Cu plants	Ni plants	Zn plants	Mn plants	Cr plants	Co plants
Sediments Cu	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sediments Ni	–	1.000*	–	–	–	–
Sediments Zn	–	–	.990*	–	–	–
Sediments	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sediments Cr	–	–	–	–	.978*	–
Sediments	–	–	–	–	–	–

*Correlation is significant at 0.05 levels.