The sediments sample from the Pichavaram mangroves on the southeast coast of India. Spatial and temporal geochemical variations of various parameters in the water and sediment of a relatively small mangrove situated. The water quality generally reflects impact of seawater and the Vellar estuary aided by evaporation and in situ biological productivity. The depletion and fluctuation of dissolved silica are controlled by biological process. In the study area surface water is enriched with ions in the following order HCO3 < SO4 < Cl2. Sulphate is very high in the pre-monsoon season by at least 150 times. Chloride also behaves similarly to the Sulfate ion. This shows the chemically activate leaching of the soil/sediment (enriched with salt precipitate) in the study area. As per Durov diagram, Sample number L8 and L9 were falling in Field 6 to suggest that sulphate dominant in cation and sodium dominance indicate the probable mixing of fresh water from Karungalar River. Sample number L3, L6 and L11 are falling in field 8 to indicate the dominance of chloride among cation and sodium dominance indicate that the backwater has underwent reverse ionic exchange of sodium chloride type from sea.
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