[01] Basharat Mushtaq, Department of Environmental Sciences and Limnology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal (M P), India. [02] Rajni Raina, Depaertment of Zoology, Govt. Science and Commerce College (Benazir), Bhopal (M P), India. [03] A. R. Yousuf, Centre of Research for Development (CORD), University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India. [04] Ashwani Wanganeo, Department of Environmental Sciences and Limnology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal (M P), India. [05] Nuzhat Shafi, Centre of Research for Development (CORD), University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India. [06] Amit Manhas, Department of Environmental Sciences and Limnology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal (M P), India.

The aim of the current study is to investigate various chemical parameters and to determine the levels of various contaminants in bottom sediments. The data was collected from six different sites for a period of one year (June 2010 to May 2011). pH of the sediment samples were ranged from 6.2 (units) to 7.8 (units) and is significantly correlated with conductivity, chloride and nitrate. The range values of chloride, total phosphorus and sulphate of sediments showed wide fluctuations between different sites. Chloride showed significant correlation with total nitrogen and nitrate while total phosphorus was significantly related with sulphate. However, organic carbon, total nitrogen and Nitrate depicted less variation in range values with an overall average values of 8.0 ± 3.7, 1.5 ± 1.0 and 4.1 ± 4.4 respectively. Bray-Curtis cluster analysis depicted highest similarity between the site-2 and site-6 and lowest similarity was recorded between site’s 1 and 5. The results of the present investigation suggesting increasing pollution load along the Dal lake which need to be monitored for the conservation of lake ecology.

Sediment, Chemical Parameters, Pollution, Dal Lake

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