Ecological Assessment for Water Quality of Bhavanapadu (Mangrove) Swamps of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh,East Coast of India

Abstract

This paper examined nutrient dissolved metal concentration in Bhavanapadu mangrove ecosystem at North Coastal Andhra Pradesh in the east coast of India – the area studied. Surface water samples were collected from the different regions of mangrove-creek complex during the post-monsoon season. There was distinct variation in chemical constituents of water among the creek, mangrove and bay region. Physicochemical parameters like pH, EC and TDS and nutrients like NO $_3$ and PO $_4$ varied significantly among three sectors. The cations like K $^+$ , Ca $^{2+}$ and NH $_4$ and anions like SO $_4^{2-}$ , HCO $_3^-$ and SiO $_2$ didn't showed any significant variation. There is high concentration of dissolved metal in this mangrove system. The above fact will reveal that mangrove is facing severe threat due to industrial pollution. The metals, Cu, Zn and Co showed higher affinity, while Pb and Cr also result in strong coupling with each other.