Paper Contents
Abstract
This study presents a holistic assessment of heavy metal (HM) contamination in the Gomti River, Lucknow, India, by concurrently analyzing surface water and sediment samples. Ten sampling sites (S1-S10) along a 61-km urban river stretch were investigated for critical metals, including Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb. In water, the Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) revealed severe degradation, with values ranging from 44.5 to 835.9, identifying S7 and S8 as critical hotspots. Sediment analysis using Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Pollution Load Index (PLI), and Nemerow's Index (PIN) showed significant contamination, particularly with Cd, Zn, and Cu, with Gomti Barrage and Daliganj Bridge as the most polluted sites. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified industrial discharges (34.2%), urban runoff (28.7%), and agricultural inputs (22.4%) as the primary sources in sediments. Health risk assessment indicated high non-carcinogenic risks (HI > 1) for adults and children from As and Cd in water, and from As, Pb, and Cd in sediments via multiple exposure pathways. Carcinogenic risks (CR) for As and Cr in both media exceeded the acceptable threshold (110) at multiple locations. This integrated approach underscores the severe ecological and public health threats posed by multi-source pollution and highlights the urgent need for targeted mitigation strategies to restore the river's health.
Copyright
Copyright © 2025 SHUBHAM YADAV. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.
