~ 300 ~ International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2015; 2(5): 300-304 ISSN: 2347-5129 IJFAS 2015; 2(5): 300-304 © 2015 IJFAS www.fisheriesjournal.com Received: 03-03-2015 Accepted: 10-04-2015 Shanur Jahedul Hasan Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Riverine Station, Chandpur-3602, Bangladesh. Mohosena Begum Tanu Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Fresh Water Station, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh Md. Istiaque Haidar Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Riverine Station, Chandpur-3602, Bangladesh. Tayfa Ahmed Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Riverine Station, Chandpur-3602, Bangladesh. AKM Shafiqul Alam Rubel Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Riverine Station, Chandpur-3602, Bangladesh. Correspondence Shanur Jahedul Hasan Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Riverine Station, Chandpur-3602, Bangladesh. Physico-chemical characteristics and accumulation of heavy metals in water and sediments of the river Dakatia, Bangladesh Shanur Jahedul Hasan, Mohosena Begum Tanu, Md. Istiaque Haidar, Tayfa Ahmed and AKM Shafiqul Alam Rubel Abstract The present study briefly deals with the presence of trace heavy metals in the waters and sediments of River Dakatia in Chandpur district of Bangladesh and their relation with some physico-chemical parameters. The study was carried out from June 2013 to July 2014 on three selected sampling stations of River Dakatia. The transparency was found in Hajigonj, Puranbazar and Eachali were 176.33, 37 and 41 (cm) respectively. The concentration of DO was higher in Puranbazar when compared with Hazigonj and Eachali. In water the highest concentrations of Pb, Cu, Mn and Zn were found in Eachali. The highest concentrations of Cu, Fe, Cr, and Zn were found in sediment from the Eachali. From the data obtained on physicochemical parameters, it was found that the water quality of Dakatia River was fairly good in order to sustain life and also water was in a condition to be used for different purposes. Keywords: Water quality, Heavy metals, Sediments, Dakatia River 1. Introduction Pollution of surface and ground waters from point and non-point sources is prevalent in most countries of the world. Rapid population growth, urbanization, intensive agricultural and industrial production, all gives rise to increased levels of emissions of organic and inorganic pollutants into the environment. The surface water resource is very much essential for any country because of its human and animal living, aquatic flora and fauna, navigation, agriculture, etc. It is also necessary for keeping alive the distributaries in the delta and maintaining the brackish water ecosystem along the sea, on an annual cycle (Haque, 2008). Thus, the surface water is essential for keeping the environmental balance of the total region, particularly in the estuaries to the south, and at the mouth of the rivers. Surface water monitoring is essential for aquatic resources management and flood forecasting (Haque, 2008). The surface water qualities of the rivers of Bangladesh are getting highly polluted day by day (DoE. 1992, Alam et al., 2007) [13, 4] . The long term effects of the water contamination by inorganic and organic substances, many of them toxic, are incalculable and the chemicals that enter into the food chain have public health implications (Ahmed and Reaz uddin, 2000) [1] . River pollution has been a major problem in the developing countries. Industrial growth has led to increase in quantity of chemical materials used in industry, as well as in industrial facilities which use the chemicals as raw materials. As a result, there is an increasing emission of dangerous materials into the air, water and soil. Although the problems occur in specific locations and regions, they are in fact global problems in that their frequency, magnitude, and potential effects are increasing rapidly. Industrial wastes are known to adversely affect natural life by direct toxic action or indirectly through qualitative alterations in the character of the water (Ahmed and Reaz uddin, 2000) [1] . Nature is the nourisher of all kinds of life system on earth by providing proper environment to the living beings. Diverse environment is the base for the diversity of lives both of plants and animals. The diverse environment includes land, air and water. Bangladesh has the widest spectrum of inland open water resources and marine resources. But water is being harmed profusely everywhere in all over the country by the insane intrusion of human beings. Quality of water is generally refers to component of water, which is to be present at the optimum level suitable for growth of aquatic plants and animals. Various factors like water temperature, turbidity, nutrient, hardness, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) play an important role for the growth of plants and animals in the water.