Evaluating Heavy Metal Toxicity Risks and their Effect on Water Quality in Kelageri Lake, Dharwad District, Karnataka

Lakes are huge bodies of water located inland. India is a country that relies heavily on agriculture, and its lakes, rivers, and ponds are used for irrigation. Lakes provide important environmental, social, and economic roles. These include supplying drinking water, replenishing groundwater, absorbing floodwater, fostering biodiversity, and living. While the presence of heavy metals in water is vital for life, concentrations higher than those advised by national and international organizations can lead to physiological problems. The presence of heavy metals in water and sediment presents serious problems for aquaculture, agriculture, and freshwater ecosystems. Excess of these can come from both natural and man-made sources in the aquatic environment through a variety of processes and pathways. Due to their non-biodegradable nature, an accumulation of heavy metals in living organisms can be hazardous and carcinogenic. In this study, Kelageri Lake in the Dharwad district was evaluated in 2023 for the concentrations of many heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Mn, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr) as well as other physicochemical characteristics. While heavy metals were analysed using an Atomic Adsorption Spectrometer (AAS), water quality data were gathered monthly. All heavy metal levels were below allowable limits, apart from Fe and Ni, which had greater values during the southwest monsoon. Mn, on the other hand, had a higher concentration during the northeast monsoon throughout the summer. The remaining physico-chemical parameters are also within the acceptable range. The lake is prolific, and the water is rather firm.

@article{srinivas2026,
  author  = {Srinivas B. Neglur and Rajeshwari D. Sanakal*},
  title   = {{Evaluating Heavy Metal Toxicity Risks and their Effect on Water Quality in Kelageri Lake, Dharwad District, Karnataka}},
  journal = {Journal of Bioresearch},
  year    = {2026},
  volume  = {4},
  number  = {1},
  pages   = {57-67},
  doi     = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14009308},
}