Instruments and methods for the analysis of heavy metals in sediment – a concise review

Natural and anthropogenic heavy metals cause pollution, carcinogenic, teratogenic effects, and disruption of microniches. Assessing heavy metals in sediments can be correlated with heavy metals in microorganisms, sessile and planktonic organisms, mussels, arthropods, and other species thriving on it. The current work focuses on the heavy metal concentrations in the sediments of estuarine and coastal environments. Continuous monitoring of coastal ecosystems is essential in evaluating environmental health risks and developing strategies to address them. The development, innovations, and optimizations occurred between 2000 and 2025 particularly about sediments of the coastal and estuarine environments have been reported, corroborated and analyzed in this review article, particularly about sediments of the coastal and estuarine environments. The emphasis is on the procedures followed by the digestion processes, the analytical methods, and the indices utilized to determine contamination levels. Heavy metals such as Pb, As, Hg, Cr, Cd, Co, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, Fe, and Al are included in the review. This data suggests the occurrence, distribution, and dynamics. The article also covers statistical tools and geospatial analysis aids in visualizing potential contamination hotspots. Implementing potential remediation and managing pollution issues can both benefit from this study.