Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07276-5 Quantifcation of multielements for mobilization study in water and sediments of Satluj River and Harike Wetland using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Alok Srivastava 1  · V. Chahar 1  · V. Sharma 1,2  · R. Acharya 2  · Nicy Ajith 3  · K. K. Swain 3  · F. Knolle 4  · M. Maekawa 5  · E. Schnug 5  · Tarak Srivastava 6 Received: 15 April 2020 © Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary 2020 Abstract The study of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and concentration distribution of multielements including toxic elements in river– wetland ecosystem at diferent locations of Satluj River and Harike Wetland were carried out to understand the mobilization behavior of elements including toxic elements. The concentrations of multi-elements in water and sediments were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) utilizing reactor neutrons, respectively. The concentration values are found to be within permissible limit set by WHO and BIS. The concentration factors of selected common elements namely Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn and As were evaluated utilizing their corresponding concentrations in water and sediment samples. Keywords Water · Sediments · ICP-MS · INAA · Multielements · Toxic elements · Mobilization study Introduction Metals are non biodegradable and the harm caused to fora and fauna as a result of their toxic efects is one of the major concerns of environmentalists studying environmental pol- lution. Several studies have been carried out on heavy metal pollution of rivers [1], as their increased presence in sur- face water is becoming a severe threat to human health as well as that of aquatic ecosystems regardless of their origin [2, 3]. Industries located in catchment areas of rivers and streams besides large water bodies are the main source of heavy metal pollution in water [4, 5]. The concentration of heavy metals present at trace and ultra trace levels in aquatic ecosystem can be determined using diferent sophisticated analytical techniques such as Atomic Absorption Spectrom- etry (AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrom- etry (ICP-MS), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) [6–8]. INAA is one of the best methods for chemical analysis of solid samples like sediments for simultaneously quantifying major, minor and trace elements utilizing high fux reactor neutrons. The transfer of heavy metals from terrestrial to coast- line and riverine environment is largely infuenced by the Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07276-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * Alok Srivastava alok@pu.ac.in; alokankita@yahoo.com 1 Chemistry Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India 2 Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and HBNI, DAE, Mumbai 400085, India 3 Analytical Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India 4 UNESCO Global Geo Park Harz, Braunschweiger Land, Ostfalen Network, Grummetwiese 16, 38640 Goslar, Germany 5 Department of Life Sciences, Technical University of Braunschweig, Pockelsstrasse 14, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany 6 Section of Nephrology, Children’s Mercy Hospital, University of Missouri, 2401 Gillham Road, MO 64108 Kansas City, USA