The sand content (%) in sediment varied from 24.08±6.2 to 82.31±0.63, silt from 14.88±0.44 to 39.97±4.88 and clay content from 2.18±0.2 to 29.46±3.37. The Total Organic Content (mg/g) (TOC) varied from 0.55±0.08 to 7.92±0.54. TOC was found negatively correlated with sand (P<0.05) and positively correlated with clay (P<0.05.). Among the heavy metals, copper (ppm) varied between 12.16±0.05 and 29.36±0.05, nickel (ppm) varied from 1.9±1.18 to 13.14±3.33, lead (ppm) from 7.88±0.48 to 30.15±0.52 and zinc (ppm) from 19.18±0.8 to 40.99±0.66. Zinc was found positively correlated with Cu (P<0.05). The reasons for the high concentration of the above heavy metals are attributed to anthropogenic activity and agriculture run off. However all the heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) concentrations in the estuary sediments were found within the permissible limits (CPCB-Central Pollution Control Board).
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