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Chromium (Cr) is a dangerous industrial pollutant that harms surface water resources and is associated with serious adverse health effects that eventually lead to mortality. In present study Cr concentrations were detected spectrophotometrically by atomic absorption spectrophotometer from October 2018 to October 2020 (in the month of October, January, April, and July) in abiotic (water and sediment) and biotic [plant (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms) and fish (Labeo rohita)] components of Yamuna River ecosystem. Samples were collected from Vihar Ghat (Vrindavan), Mathura -- 27.58387, 77.69317 (i.e., M2 site), 100 m upstream (M1 site) and downstream (M3 site) and from Renuka Ghat, Agra -- 27.25190, 77.87535, India (i.e., N2 site), 100 m upstream (N1 site) and downstream (N3 site). Root, stem and leave of studied plant while gill, muscle, liver, and kidney samples of fish were used for determination of Cr toxicity. Results revealed higher concentration of Cr in water throughout the study when compared with permissible limits by WHO and BIS (0.05 mg/L). While sediment sample had the highest metal content with a mean concentration of 51.3 ± 2.34 mg/L in summer 2019. The Heavy Metal Pollution Index for water, sediment, plant and fish samples at Mathura sampling site were shown to be extremely high, that is, 2,555; 31,254; 269 and 2,600 respectively, when compared to the samples from Agra sampling site. The bioconcentration factor in fish tissues was highest in gills (6.4167 in post-monsoon 2018 at Agra), and lowest in kidney (1.0417 in winters 2020 at Mathura). Such studies pave the path for future to establish the highest risk in term of time and components in the river ecosystem for their utility. Besides, such approaches and findings will help policy makers to ensure a safe and sustainable environment in terms of socioeconomics and human health aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated chromium (Cr) in the Yamuna river at Mathura - Agra region in Uttar Pradesh, India. The water and fish samples were collected quarterly from the sites, i.e. Vrindavan (Vihar ghat) and Agra (Renuka ghat) from October 2018 to January 2020.The average Cr concentration in water at the Vrindavan site was observed to be maximum (2.27 mg/l) than the Agra site (1.93 mg/l) in the month of April 2019 compared to its BIS/WHO standards (0.05 ppm). Among the samples of fish organs like gill, liver, muscle and kidney, maximum Cr concentration was found in the samples of gills from Vrindavan (Vihar ghat) site (9.63μg/g) and from Agra (Renuka ghat) site (7.78 μg/g) being above the standards values (1 μg/g by European union commission; 0.15 μg/g by Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) and World Health Organization (WHO). The Cr concentration in the samples was in the order of gill > liver > muscle > kidney. The lower Bio-concentration factor (BCF) and target hazard quotients (THQ) in the muscles indicated fish to be safe for consumption. Heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis indicated more HPI (2676.67) and a positive correlation between all the samples. The contamination degree (Cd) values were above the critical level at both the sampling sites-Vrindavan (38) and Agra (28). The higher pollution indices (HPI, HEI, Cd values) indicated higher degree of contamination in water samples. Hence strategies need to be formulated to check the rising concentration of heavy metals and ensure the safety of the people in the nearby areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]