Use of benthic foraminifera as a proxy for monitoring heavy metal pollution in the Swarnamukhi estuary, southeast coast of India N. Jayaraju, G. Sreenivasulu, B.C. Sundara Raja Reddy, B. Lakshmanna, B. Upendra, A. Nallapa Reddy Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, 2021 Benthic foraminiferal assemblages were surveyed as potential indicators of heavy metal pollution of sediments from Swarnamukhi estuary, southeast India. Grain size analysis indicated that the sediments were deposited under low energy conditions. Results of assessment by factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis showed relations among the heavy metals. The sediment pollution assessment was carried out using the Enrichment Factor (EF), and Pollution Load Index (PLI). The results showed significant seasonal variation in heavy metal concentrations, and several metals (e.g. Fe, Cr, Zn, Pb and Cd) had high abundance in the sediments. A total of 53 benthic foraminiferal species belonging to 20 genera and 3 suborders were recorded in the sediments. The effect of heavy metal pollution on foraminifera's species diversity was assessed. The assemblage changes and test abnormalities in foraminiferal species appeared to be proxies for evaluating environmental stresses.
Coastal morphodynamics of Tupilipalem Coast, Andhra Pradesh, southeast coast of India G. Sreenivasulu, N. Jayaraju, B. C. Sundara Raja Reddy, T. Lakshmi Prasad, B. Lakshmanna, K. Nagalakshmi Current Science, 2017 Coastal zones are dynamic interfaces of land and water of high ecological diversity and critical economic importance. The boundaries, shape and size of this coast change constantly under the influence of both natural and anthropogenic factors. The study area, Tupilipalem is one of the proposal sites for constructing a major port, to be named Dugarajapatnam Port, along the east coast of Andhra Pradesh, India. We have used multitemporal satellite images of IRS P6 LISS-III and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS data from 2011 to 2015 to delineate changes in Tupilipalem coast. The subsequent short-term lagoon mouth closure and the long-term coastal erosion and accretion rates have been calculated for the periods between 2011 and 2015. Low river inflow, wind, tides, the movement of the waves and littoral currents play a key role in the closure of the lagoon mouth and also for the dynamic activities of erosion and accretion. Moreover, the impact on socio-economy and ecology of the study area during the lagoon mouth closure period has been studied.
Organic matter from benthic foraminifera (Ammonia beccarii) shells by FT-IR spectroscopy: A study on Tupilipalem, South east coast of India G. Sreenivasulu, N. Jayaraju, B.C. Sundara Raja Reddy, T. Lakshmi Prasad, K. Nagalakshmi, B. Lakshmanna Methodsx, 2017 Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to study the variations in organic matters of benthic foraminifera (Ammonia beccarii) from four samples collected from beach environments from brackish environments along Tupilipalem coast (South east coast of India). Common absorption bands were observed as peaks in the range of 3600–3400 cm−1, 3000–2850 cm−1, 1750–1740 cm−1, 1640–1600 cm−1, 1450–1350 cm−1, 885–870 cm−1 and 725–675 cm−1 in all the shells of Ammonia beccarii. The FTIR spectrum of station-1 represents the presence of alkanes (CH3) and alkyl halide (C F stretching) with absorptions at the range 1385–1255 and 1350–1150 cm−1 were observed and ether (C O stretching) absorption band was observed at stations 1 and 3 with wavenumber of 1115 cm−1 and 1117 cm−1 respectively. Alkynes C H bend was observed at station-1 with the wavenumber of 667.43 cm−1. The shifting of peak positions in all the samples is could be due to presence of organic matter in the samples. Satellite remote sensing and field observation data revealed that the river mouth at Tupilipalem coast was closed by a sand bar. Consequentially, this waterbody may affect the species diversity.•Positions of the sampling locations were identified using a hand-held Garmin Global Positioning System (GPS).•Foraminifera from the sediment were obtained using a mixture of Bromoform and Acetone.•The functional groups present in the benthic foraminifera shells were recorded in the spectral range of 4000–400 cm−1 using an FT-IR Spectrophotometer.
