Kinetic and equilibrium based fractionation study of Pb in continental shelf sediment of India

Two independent analytical methods (kinetic and sequential extraction protocols) were used to understand the distribution, stability, and lability of Pb-sediment complexes in Indian continental shelf. The concentrations of sedimentary Pb varied from 12.0±0.6 to 30.4±0.1mg·kg−1 and 15.9±0.3 to 36.7±0.4mg·kg−1 in the western and eastern shelf of India respectively. The kinetic extraction study showed that higher proportion of labile Pb-complexes were present in the eastern shelf sediments (~24% of total Pb) than the western shelf sediments (~14% of total Pb). The sedimentary organic matter was found to regulate lability of sedimentary Pb complexes. The sequential extraction study suggested that Fe/Mn oxyhydroxide were the primary hosting phase for labile Pb complexes. This study showed that water soluble, exchangeable, carbonate/bicarbonate-Pb complexes in the sediments was labile. This study provides a better physicochemical description of stability or lability of Pb complexes in the coastal sediment of India. •Low concentrations of sedimentary Pb found in western and eastern shelf of India.•Higher labile Pb-complexes in the eastern shelf (~24% of total Pb) than the western shelf sediments (~14% of total Pb).•The sedimentary organic matter regulated lability of sedimentary Pb complexes.•Fe/Mn oxyhydroxide was the primary hosting phase for labile Pb complexes.•Water soluble, exchangeable, carbonate/bicarbonate-Pb complexes were labile.