AMBI and M-AMBI indices as a robust tool for assessing the effluent stressed ecosystem in Nandgaon Coastal waters, Maharashtra, India

Due to industrialization, estuarine and coastal water receive a bulk amount of effluent/pollutant from various industries; therefore assessment of the health of the ecosystem is very much essential. Although the AMBI (Azti Marine Biotic index) indices have been used to predict the quality of European waters, no implementation of WFD (Water Framework Directives) has been made on Indian waters so far. In view of that, the present study was undertaken to assess the health of a stressed ecosystem of Nandgaon coastal waters, India. The results of AMBI were highly correlated with the total organic carbon in the heavily disturbed area with ecological groups IV and V. Thus, the result of the present study indicates that the AMBI indices could be useful to detect industrial effluent effects in Indian coastal waters and will provide a motivation to extend this kind of analysis over the entire coastal line of India.