Quantification of Heavy Metals in the Sediment ecosystem of Ulhas River flowing along Dombivli City of Mumbai

The Dombivli city near Mumbai has rapid industrialized. However the improper environmental planning has resulted in discharge of industrial waste effluents from the industrial belt into the Ulhas River. These wastes from these industries include various toxic heavy metals which subsequently accumulate in the sediments of Ulhas River. This day by day increasing tremendous pollution load has provoked us to carry the systematic and detailed study of heavy metal content in the sediment samples collected along the Ulhas River along the Dombivli City, near Mumbai. The study was conducted in year 2012 and 2013. The study was carried out in along the banks of Ulhas River near the discharge of effluents from Dombivli Industrial belt Phase I and Phase II. Accordingly the sampling points were identified. The analysis for the majority of the toxic heavy metals like Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As) and Zinc (Zn), in sediment samples was done. From the results of our study, it can be concluded that there is a need of systematic and regular monitoring of pollution level along the Ulhas River so as to generate the data on accumulation of heavy metals in the river sediments which will further help in improving the industrial waste treatment technology adopted along the Dombivali industrial belt. It is expected that such scientific studies will help to gauge the extent of pollution in order to avoid long term irreparable damage to the ecosystem.