Research Projects

The Ashtamudi wetland ecosystem, a Ramsar site in south India, has been negatively impacted by anthropogenic activities. The study aims to fill the gap in research by focusing on the distribution of fatty acids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the wetland to evaluate the sources of organic matter and the contamination status of the aquatic environment. The objectives include evaluating hydrographical parameters in the water column during two seasons, assessing spatial and seasonal distribution in fundamental sedimentary variables, estimating the biochemical composition of sediments, and source characterizing organic matter and pollution status using lipid biomarkers. Water and surface sediment samples will be collected from selected sites during two seasons, and physico-chemical parameters will be analyzed using standard methods. The biochemical composition of sediments will be assessed using soxhlet extraction/ultrasonication, separtion by column chromatography, and detection and quantification of compounds using GC-FID and GC-MS. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable management measures for the restoration and conservation of the Ashtamudi Ramsar wetland by organic geochemical monitoring of sediment quality. The data generated will provide a better understanding of the bio-geodynamics of organic matter in the Ashtamudi estuary and the ecological health status of the estuary. The data obtained can serve as a baseline information for developing sustainable management strategies for conservation.