AIM

Investigation on heavy metal uptake by benthic, marine, micro algae found at ship
welding site of saurashtra coastline.
INTRODUCTION
Algae are found in both fresh & marine water. Different types of algae found all
over the world in oceans are the major mechanism responsible for consuption of
Carbondioxide to oxygen. Generally macro algae are found on benthic zone while
micro algae are more subjected to environmental pollution created by mankind.
Various means through which man has created pollution in them are oil extraction,
by exccessive fisshing activity, ship breaking & welding yards, etc. Along with
uptake of nutrition some algae has the capaability to intake heavy metal & stor
them in their Biomass (eg. of heavy metals found are Zn, Cd, Hg, Cr….). By
studying various paremeters of this benthic algae found at polluting sites we can
estimate their heavy metal uptake capability & can use them as a pollution
inkicator. By carring out such sutdy we can also estimate the bio-remidation
capability of benthic marine macro algae.
Our main purpous in performing various paremeters is to find the extend of heavy
metal uptake by marin algae found at kutch cost line. The major source of heavy
metal at kutch cost line is ship welding as well as breaking site at the costline.
Commericaly this is very important but from environmental ponit of view they cause
a great threat to the surrounding areas. Various macro algae which can uptake
certain heavy metals are a common site to watch near this ship welding yards near
the dutch costline. As the site is of ship welding yard the most common heavy
metals found here is Iron. Rusting of Iron due to contact with saline water is
also a common site found at many places.
OBJECTIVES
 Recoinassance survey of ship breaking & welding sites along the kutch
costline.
 To moniter the heavy metal contamination leveal (wiz. Copper, cadmium, lead,
zinc, iron, etc..) in the ship welding sites of the costline.
 To moniter the uptake capability of the above mentioned metals in the
predominantly found algae at the ship welding sites.
 To determing the BCF (Bio Concentration Factor) opearating in the metal
accumulatino by the algae.
Review of Literature
Kutch costline:
Kutch cost is one of the rare ecological zones in the world having rich
biodiversity. It conprises of mangroves coastal reefs, mud flats, sea weeds, and
fishes & several marine species. The mangroves of Kutch are the second largest
after the sunderbans in India. A prominent feature of Kutch cost is the vast
intertidal zone comprising a network of cricks & mud flats. The kutch cost
provides conductive environment for traditional occupation like fishing,
saltmaking, apart from landbase like agriculture, horticulture & animalhusbandary.
The kutch cost is an ecological sensitive zone as it supports vast area of
mangroves, corals, mud flats & various compound of ecology & are interlinked into
fragile ecosystem by contributing oxygen budget , in the soil conservation.
Mangroves & corals are the nursing grounds of a varity of economicaly important
fish, exortic coral fishes & renewable flora & fauna. The gulf also abounds in
more than 20 speices of algae. These algal combination with corals & mangroves
provide a conductive ecosystem for diverse flora & fauna.

Industrialization along the kutch coastline

Kutch, India’s largest coastal district, has a 400 km coast line bordering the
Gulf of Kutch. Mainly the haven of traditional fisher people and salt farmers, the
Kutch coast line is characterised by rich mangrove ecosystem, wide intertidal
zone, and numerous creeks and estuaries.

Over the last five years, the Kutch coast has been witnessing a massive
industrialization drive. This, along with the ensuing urbanisation, is fast
changing the environmental and livelihood landscape of the coast.