Water quality assessment of Manchar Lake during the month of August and November 2011 by analyzing selected trace elements

Manchar Lake is the largest fresh water lake in Pakistan, situated in Jamshoro District. It was created in the 1930 when the Sukkur Barrage was constructed on the river Indus. It is a vast natural depression flanked by Khirthar range in the west, Lakhi hills in south and river Indus in the east. On the north eastern side is the protective embankment. The lake is fed by two canals, the Aral Wah and the Danister from the river Indus. The lake also collects water from numerous small streams in the Khirthar Mountains. The area of the lake fluctuates during the flood season from 350 to 520 km2. The mean depth of the lake is at present 13 feet. Contamination of Manchar Lake is serious issue of aquatic pollution. Lake gets polluted by different waves although it is a second largest lake of Sindh province. Untreated damping of industrial liquid waste is one of the main causes of its pollution, hence for the justification of its contamination some trace metals, Lead, Copper, Zinic, Cobalt, Chromium and Nickel were analyzed by dual mode of analytical methods flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and electro thermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) by multi element stranded solution. The highest concentration of  Lead, Copper, Zinic, Cobalt, Chromium and Nickel were 54.5 and 58.5 µg/L, 115 and 117.5 µg/L, 3000 and 3200 µg/L, 7 and 9.5 µg/L, 90 and 95.5 µg/L, 90 and 117 µg/L in month of August and November, 2011 respectively (Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, and Cr) were selected for study.   Key words:  Contamination, waste, pollution, environment, fresh water.