The mangroves of Kerala on the south-west coast of India are fast disa
ppearing due to land reclamation and other anthropogenic disturbances.
There are very few ecosystem level studies made in these much threate
ned biotopes in Kerala. The present study involves the measurement of
heavy metals in the mangrove flora and sediments of three mangrove hab
itats along the Kerala coast. Sampling was carried out for a period of
one year at bi-monthly intervals, with concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu,
Zn, Pb and Co analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. An a
ppreciable variation was observed in metal concentrations in different
mangrove species. Cu, Zn and Pb were found to be in higher concentrat
ions in Avicennia officinalis whereas higher levels of Fe, Mn and Co w
ere observed in the species Barringtonia racemosa. The analysis of hea
vy metals indicated a high level of metal pollutants such as Fe, Cu, Z
n and Pb in the mangrove habitats of Quilon and Veli compared to the r
elatively uncontaminated areas of Kumarakom.