Water quality response in a river has often been assessed using datasets that provide dramatic over – or underestimate of actual picture at huge financial investment particularly in developing countries like India. A study has been undertaken to present how the level of metal ions in river water is influenced by suspended solids in response to spatial and seasonal conditions in Hugli estuary (India) which supports world’s largest Mangrove system – The Sundarbans. To better elucidate actual degree of metal pollution, contamination sources, role of metal absorbance on TSS, environmental behavior of metals and distribution pattern over the stations, seasons, tides and depths; statistical analysis are employed to intensive datasets of Hugli estuary that discharges into the largest alluvial fan in the world. The enrichment factors of metal ions in TSS determine contamination level. Multivariate analysis identified anthropogenic and natural activities responsible for suspended metal contaminations in this tidal dominated river. Enrichment factor revealed level of contamination of Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu and Cd and their sources. Strong seasonal change, variable tidal energy level and irregular estuarine geometry in the study area played crucial role in governing the concentration of metals in TSS in water column. New database on suspended metal contamination will help to water quality management programme. Base on these findings existing monitoring programme can be refined.
