Studies on the Sediment Characteristics of Manakudy Estuary, South west coast of India

Kanyakumari District is located on the southern extremity of the Indian Peninsula between lat 8 0 2 ’ and 8 0 4 ’ N and between long 77 0 26 ’ and 77 0 30’E .The district receives heavy rains during the South west (June to August) and North east monsoons (October to December). The sediment characteristics were studied in 6 stations namely S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6. The grain size ranged from 0.063mm to 0.5mm. The sediment was sandy clay towards river side, but silty clay towards the estuarine side. Organic carbon was lower in S5 and S6. The organic carbon was higher in S2, S3 and S4 because they are located near the mangrove forest on the mudflats. The detritus from the mangrove forest increase the organic carbon content of these stations. Apart from this the sediment fractions are finer; and the finer fraction has affinity for organic carbon.The CaCO 3 values were highly fluctuating, due to the presence of Molluscan shells and maximum in S6(34.5%). The sulphur content was uniform in all the stations except S6. The maximum was recorded in S4(1.395%).The coir retting pits along the estuary accounts for H 2S and subsequently the sulphur content of the estuary. The various parameters of surface sediments in the six stations were subjected to two way ANOVA and it was found that they were significantly correlated.