Authors: Nisha Gautam
Abstract: Heavy metal contamination in river sediments is a major environmental concern due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. The present study assessed heavy metal contamination in sediment samples collected from selected sites of the Gomti River in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Sediment samples were collected from Gaughat, Kudiya Ghat, Daliganj Bridge, and Hanuman Setu during November 2025 and analysed for chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and iron (Fe). Pollution assessment indices including Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination Factor (CF), and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were used to evaluate contamination levels and anthropogenic influence. The results revealed significant spatial variation in heavy metal concentrations. Iron showed the highest concentration, while cadmium exhibited extremely high concentrations compared to its background value, indicating severe contamination. The concentration pattern followed the order: Fe > Cr > Ni > Cd > As. EF analysis indicated extremely severe enrichment of Cd, whereas Cr showed moderate enrichment. CF results also confirmed very high contamination by Cd. PLI values at all sampling sites were greater than 1, indicating polluted sediment conditions. The study concludes that anthropogenic activities such as sewage discharge, urban runoff, and industrial effluents are major contributors to heavy metal accumulation in the Gomti River sediments.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20268759
