Arsenic in water, plankton and sediments off Goa coast and adjacent regions

Abstract

Arsenic content was estimated in water, plankton and sediments in the region between 14 degrees 40'N and 15 degrees 50'N surrounding Goa coast. Of the total arsenic content in water (1.65 - 4.78 mu g/litre; av. 3.09 mu g/litre) 61% was found as soluble inorganic arsenic and the rest as organic bound arsenic. Plankton and sediments also showed marked accumulation of this element, the average being 2.2 and 8.8 mu g/g respectively. Nearshore sediments showed higher values of arsenic indicating the influence of land drainage and industrial effluents