The research was carried out to assess the trace metal concentration
in sediments of ship breaking area in Bangladesh. The study areas were
separated into Ship breaking Zone and Reference Site for comparative analysis.
Metals like iron (Fe) was found at 11,932 to 41,361.71 μg.g
$^{-1}$
in the affected
site and 3393.37 μg.g
$^{-1}$
in the control site. Manganese (Mn) varied from 2.32 to
8.25 μg.g
$^{-1}$
in the affected site whereas it was recorded as 1.8 μg.g
$^{-1}$
in the
control area. Chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) also varied
from 22.89 to 86.72 μg.g
$^{-1}$
; 23.12 to 48.6; 83.78 to 142.85 and 36.78 to 147.83
μg.g
$^{-1}$
respectively in the affected site whereas these were recorded as 19,
3.98, 22.22 and 8.82 μg.g
$^{-1}$
in the control site. Copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and
mercury (Hg) concentration varied from 21.05 to 39.85, 0.57 to 0.94 and 0.05 to
0.11 μg.g
$^{-1}$
in the affected site and 33.0, 0.115 and 0.01 μg.g
$^{-1}$
in the control
site. It may be concluded that heavy metal pollution in sediments at ship
breaking area of Bangladesh is at alarming stage.
