Ecological Risk Assessment Of Various Mining Regions Of Eastern India Through Biomonitoring Of Heavy Metals Using Moss As Bioindicator

Abstract

The blooming industrialization and urbanization is leading to increased mining newlineoperations. These intensified mining activities emit heavy metals into the environment, newlineposing serious threats to ecosystems and human health. Conventional methods for newlineheavy metal removal from contaminated environments often present significant newlineeconomic burdens and inefficiencies. In contrast, biomonitoring utilizing mosses newlineemerge as promising eco-friendly and cost-effective alternatives for mitigating heavy newlinemetal pollution. Hence, this study focused on assessing heavy metal pollution in mining newlinesoil, utilizing mosses as bioindicators. The study covered three distinct mining sites of newlineOdisha, India: SP1 (Jajpur Sukinda Valley), SP2 (Keonjharand Joda-Barbil), and SP3 newline(Sundargarh Koira-Joda). Each area divided into four functional zones 1-3km area, newlineoverburden, transport lane, and storage. The collection of 48 soil samples through newlinerandom sampling revealed significant variations in heavy metal concentrations. A total newlineof 41 moss species from 14 families were identified across 16 sampling sites, with newlinesignificant diversity observed in different regions: SP1 (14 species, 10 families), SP2 newline(27 species, 12 families), and SP3 (29 species, 12 families). Among the recorded newlinemosses the Pottiaceae family constituted 22.2% of species in SP1 and 24.1% in SP3, newlinewhile Bryaceae dominated SP2 with 18.5%. SP1 recorded Cr concentration of newline6572±445 ppm and Ni of 8042.47±501.38 mg/kg, surpassing eco-toxicological levels. newlineThe storage site in SP2 exhibited the highest Fe concentration at 9872±502 ppm, and newlineMn levels in SP3 were at 7884±432 ppm. The storage areas were identified as newlinesignificant sources of heavy metal contamination, highlighting the need for monitoring newlineand management. Concentrations of heavy metals across the three mining regions, newlineranked by functional area, were recorded as follows: 1-3 km lt overburden lt transport newlinelane lt storage. Mosses in studied area demonstrated as potential bioindicators for newlinemonitoring heavy metal pollution. In SP1, Gymnostomiella ven