Evaluation of metals in mine water and assessment of heavy metal pollution index of east bokaro coalfield area, Jharkhand, India
Mahato, MK; Singh, PK; Tiwari, AK
Sixteen mine water samples were collected from East Bokaro Coalfield of Jharkhand State. Samples were analyzed for eleven heavy metals and the concentration of Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, As, Se, Al, Cd and Cr, ranged between 130.6-566.5, 2.02-23.6, 1.12-8.8, 0.01-0.99, 3.2-84.2, 2.13-10.4, 0.12-0.43, 2.43-6.5, 3.4-52.6, 0.04-1.17 and 1.09-12.1 μg/l respectively. The concentration of Fe exceeded the prescribed limits of drinking water guidelines by Indian standards at about 50% of the sampling locations. The highest concentration of Fe, Mn and Ni was recorded at Kaveri open cast mine water. The elevated level of Fe concentration may be attributed to natural occurrence, as well as mining influences in the area. The other metals were found well below the permissible limit. The data were used to calculate a heavy metal pollution index (HPI). The mean HPI value of the mine water was 18.36, which falls under the medium class. The HPI values for the individual locations ranged from 7.86 to 32.03. HPI of 44 % of the samples fall under medium class while 19 % of samples fall under high class. © 2014 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY.