Assessment of heavy metal contamination in freshwater ponds of Durg district of Chhattisgarh, india

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination of freshwater ecosystems is a serious environmental and public health issue, particularly where agriculture is intensifying, industrialization and urbanization is occurring quickly. This study examines the levels of selective heavy metals in freshwater ponds like Kalyan Sagar Pond (KSP), Maroda Reservoir (MR), Tandula Canal (TC) and Risali Pond (RP) located throughout the Durg district of Chhattisgarh, India, during the pre-monsoon season. These metals include Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), Chromium (Cr), and Zinc (Zn) and some selective pond fishes. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to measure the concentrations of heavy metals in water samples taken from several representative ponds. The findings showed that metal concentrations varied geographically, such as Ca (26.12ppm) and Hg (0.0002ppm) at KSP while Hg (0.0003ppm) in MR. Similarly, Mg level in KSP, MR, TC, and RP respective 7.19ppm, 4.1ppm, 3.55ppm, and 1.06ppm having major impact like osmoregulation issue and effect. with some locations having levels above the World Health Organization's (WHO) and Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) acceptable limits for drinking and irrigation water. The findings highlight the need for stronger pollution control, regular monitoring, and better water management to reduce heavy metal contamination and protect aquatic ecosystems.