RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 A novel assessment of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in water and sediment samples from the Indus River, Pakistan: An ecological risk assessment approach
A1 Gul, Nida
A1 Khan, Bushra
A1 Khan, Aqib Hassan Ali
A1 Nawaz, Taufiq
A1 Wahid, Fazli
A1 Toloza, Carlos A.T.
A1 Alzahrani, Eman
A1 Hauser-Davis, Rachel Ann
A1 Khan, Sarzamin
K1 River Indus
K1 Potentially toxic elements
K1 Geo-accumulation index
K1 Sediments
K1 Ecological risk
K1 Aguas superficiales-Contaminación
K1 Water-Pollution
K1 Pakistán
K1 Pakistan
AB Pakistan, a country with limited water resources and highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, faces numerous challenges in managing its water supply. In this sense, this study assessed potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the surface water and sediments of Pakistan's Indus River and its tributaries. Key water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids (TDS) were determined, with respective average values of 7.1, 40 μS/cm, and 208 mg L−1. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in surface water samples averaged 26 μg L−1, 0.9 μg L−1, 1.4 μg L−1, 22 μg L−1, and 2.1 μg L−1, respectively. The general sediment PTE profile was Ni > Cd > Zn > Cu > Cr. Certain PTE levels exceeded recommended thresholds, indicating the establishment of environmental pollution. Calculated geo-accumulation index values suggested moderate to heavy pollution levels in sediment, with PERI (404) values reinforcing the ecological risk posed by elevated PTE concentrations. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between specific PTE pairs in both water and sediment samples. This study contributes with novel insights into the distribution and ecological implications of PTE contamination in the Indus River and its tributaries, paving the way for ecological risk management efforts
PB Elsevier
SN 0025-326X
YR 2024
FD 2024-08
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11835
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11835
LA eng
NO The authors extend their appreciation to Taif University, Saudi Arabia, for supporting this work, through project number (TU-DSPP-2024-18), The authors are also thankful to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan for funding the project and to the Central Resource Laboratories staff at the University of Peshawar
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
RD 10-jun-2026