Sediments are the reserve of environmental variation and analysis gives the diverse nature of
the environmental chemical pattern. Present attempt provides an insight on the
biogeochemistry (BGC) of sediment in selected stations of Kerala coast, India. Sampling
along the Kerala coast was done during May – June 2009 in cruise no: 267 of Fishery and
Oceanographic Research Vessel, Sagar Sampada. Eleven samples were collected from four
stations - Cape, Trivandrum, Kollam and Cochin. Study of organic matter (OM) is significant
as it exerts a strong control on the diagenic alterations in the sediment. Samples were
analyzed for their Texture; OM- Protein, Carbohydrate, Tannin and lignin, Lipid; Trace
metal; Total phosphorus and CHN. Among the eleven analyzed sediment, sample from
Cochin station has high clay (>30%) and silt (>40%) content. The rest of the stations showed
elevated amount of sand content. Generally the investigation reveals an inverse relation
between lipid with other OM- Protein, Carbohydrate, Tannin and lignin. The order of relative
distribution of OM were Protein > Carbohydrate > Tannin and Lignin > Lipid. High
concentration of trace metal, Fe was found at Kollam and Cochin. Trace metal concentration
was directly related to OM distribution. But C/N and Fe/P ratios were inversely related to OM
and trace metal.
Description:
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Volume 3, No 1, 2012