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This study comprehensively investigated the distribution, source identification, and potential ecological risk of heavy metals (As, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn) in surface sediments of the Mongla port area of Bangladesh. The sediment samples were collected from ten sampling points during the wet and dry season and heavy metals were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The average concentration of heavy metal in sediments was higher during the dry season (11.36 to 118.55 mg/kg) as compared with the wet season (8.70 to 88.58 mg/kg). Certain indices, including the enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, and contamination factor demonstrated that Cd was highly responsible for sediment pollution. The range of pollution load index values was 1.12 to 1.55 during wet and 1.59 to 2.27 during the dry season, indicating progressive deterioration of sediments by studied heavy metals. Multivariate principal component analysis showed that the source of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu and, Zn in the port area surface sediment mainly due to anthropogenic activities. Considering the potential ecological risk, surface sediments of the Mongla port area showed moderate to considerable ecological risk. Potential acute toxicity results in most of the sampling points during the dry season was greater than 4, shows moderate to the severe toxicity of heavy metals in sediment. Further studies to assess the widespread risk of heavy metals are recommended to protect the aquatic ecosystem from heavy metal contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated groundwater pollution and potential human health risks from arsenic, iron, and manganese in the rural area of Jashore, Bangladesh. Study results show that the mean value of groundwater pH is 7.25+0.31, with a mean conductivity of 633.94+ 327.41 µs/cm, while about 73, 97, and 91% of groundwater samples exceeded the Bangladesh drinking water standard limits for As, Fe, and Mn, respectively. Groundwater pollution evaluation indices, including the heavy metal pollution index, the heavy metal evaluation index, the degree of contamination, and the Nemerow pollution index, show that approximately 97, 82, 100, and 100% of samples are in the high degree of pollution category, respectively. Spatial distribution exhibited that the study area is highly exposed to As (73%), Fe (82%), and Mn (46%). In the case of non-carcinogenic health risk via oral exposure, about 94% of samples suggest a high category of risk for infants, and 97% of samples are found to be at high risk for children and adults. The carcinogenic risk of arsenic via an oral exposure pathway suggests that approximately 97% of the samples are found to be at high risk for infants, and all of the samples are at high risk for both adults and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]