Heavy Metal Pollution of Holy River Ganga: A Review

Abstract

The present Review focus on the heavy metal pollution in holy river Ganga. The Ganga river water is a source of life but contamination of water is the major threat in today’s India. Multiplicity of heavy metals, some of them are potentially toxic and are relocated to the surrounding Water environment through different pathways. Water quality has become a major issue due to growing industrial development, urban development, E-Waste, wastewater irrigation and Sewage. The concentrations determined were more than the maximum admissible and desirable limit when compared with the National and International organizations like WHO, USEPA. Exposure to heavy metals has been linked to chronic & acute toxicity developing retardation, neurotoxicity, kidney damage, various cancers, liver damage, lung damage, and fragile bones and even death in instances of very high exposure. These review paper presents all the findings of the work carried out by the many researchers in the past on the heavy metal pollution of holy river Ganga.