Evaluation of <sup>210</sup>Po, <sup>210</sup>Pb, and potentially toxic element concentrations in aquatic environments and polychaetes along the southeast coast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu: a baseline report
Creators: name: Priyadharshini, Marckasagayam
name: Pradhoshini, Kumara Perumal
name: Chandrasekaran, A.
name: Santhanabharathi, Bharathi
name: Ahmed, Munawar Suhail
name: Saikumar, Sakthinarenderan
name: Mani, Ravi
name: Duong, Van-Hao
name: Rahman, Ismail M. M.
name: Musthafa, Mohamed Saiyad
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Cancer
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences

description: The activity concentrations of radionuclides (<sup>210</sup>Po and <sup>210</sup>Pb) and the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in water, sediment, and two polychaete species (<i>Marphysa madrasi</i> and <i>Namalycastis jaya</i>) collected from 12 stations, denoted as S1 to S12, along the coast of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, in southeast India has been investigated. The average activity concentrations of <sup>210</sup>Po and <sup>210</sup>Pb were 0.39 ± 0.01 mBq/L and 3.30 ± 0.06 mBq/L in water, and 0.80 ± 0.02 Bq/kg and 4.21 ± 0.19 Bq/kg in sediment, respectively. <i>Marphysa madrasi</i> exhibited higher <sup>210</sup>Po and <sup>210</sup>Pb activity concentrations (37.78 ± 0.43 Bq/kg and 17.25 ± 0.22 Bq/kg, respectively) compared to <i>Namalycastis jaya</i>  (34.40 ± 0.42 Bq/kg and 15.91 ± 0.26 Bq/kg, respectively). Maximum activity concentrations for both radionuclides in water were observed at Kalpaakam (S11) and Nemmeli (S7), while maximum sediment activity concentrations were found at Nemmeli (S7). The elevated activity concentrations in polychaetes from Nemmeli (S7) likely reflect the significantly higher <sup>210</sup>Po and <sup>210</sup>Pb activity concentrations observed in sediments from this site when compared to other sites. Bioaccumulation values for <sup>210</sup>Po and <sup>210</sup>Pb averaged 6.89 × 10<sup>1</sup> and 4.20 for <i>M. madrasi</i>, and 6.17 × 10<sup>1</sup>and 3.84 for <i>N. jaya</i> , respectively. Sediment PTE concentrations followed the order: Fe &gt; Zn &gt; Mn &gt; Ni &gt; Co &gt; Cr &gt; Pb &gt; Cd &gt; Cu. Risk assessment indicated alarming levels of PTE contamination in sediments, suggesting severe anthropogenic impacts. In contrast, average PTE concentrations in polychaetes followed the order: Fe &gt; Cu &gt; Zn &gt; Mn&gt; Cr &gt; Ni &gt; Co &gt; Cd &gt; Pb. Statistical analysis revealed strong and significant correlations (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) between PTE concentrations in sediments and polychaetes. The present study offers baseline data for evaluatingthe levels of <sup>210</sup>Po and <sup>210</sup>Pb in water, sediment, and polychaetes in selected locations along Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India’s southeast coast. These findings lay the groundwork for further studies of polychaetes, specifically the ecological effects of PTEs and radionuclides on coastal creatures and biomagnification.