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Chromium in Urban Soil-plant-water Ecosystems

M. N. MONDOL
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

A. S. CHAMON
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

B. FAIZ
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

S. F. ELAHI
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Heavy metal pollution is associated with public health concerns. The study was conducted at the vicinity of the Tejgaon industrial area (8 km²) adjacent to Dhaka City Corporation. To investigate the seasonal extent of soil-water ecosystems pollution with chromium discharged from the industries, municipality, and slums, and its transfer co-efficiency into plants or crops. Composite soil, plant and water were randomly collected from industrial sites by GPS guided sampling procedure during wet and dry seasons, processed, and analyzed. Soils were analyzed for particle size distribution (sand, silt and clay), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total organic carbon, water-soluble, ammonium acetate extractable, DTPA extractable and total chromium. Plant samples were analyzed for total Cr concentration. Water samples were analyzed for pH, EC, and dissolved Cr concentration. During wet season, the average Cr concentration was 0.16, 0.72, 1.51 and 68 mg/kg, and in the dry season the concentrations were 6.60, 12.44, 23.1 and 248.3 mg/kg as water-soluble, NH₄OAc and DTPA extractable and total, respectively. Total Cr concentration was 248.3 mg/kg, which was more than 2 times higher than the tolerable limit. Plant samples accumulated more and tolerated higher amounts of Cr during dry season. During dry season, more than 47% of water samples were found above the WHO standard level.

Keywords: Season, Tejgaon soil, Chromium, Heavy metal, Pollution

Location: Tejgaon, Dhaka

Start Date: 01-09-2006

End Date: 31-01-2007

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Contamination of soil

Objectives:

1. To investigate on the concentration of Chromium (Cr) in urban soil, plant and water ecosystem

2. To test different extractant of Cr during wet and dry season,

3. The study the seasonal effects on Cr concentration in different species of plants.

Methodology:

The study was conducted at the vicinity of the Tejgaon industrial area (8 km²) adjacent to Dhaka City Corporation, and is only about 5 km north of the City Center. The study area consisted of two distinct components, one was the large shallow swampy area (lagoon) bordering Tejgaon industrial area, which received the unregulated discharge, drainage, and surface runoff from the surrounding classified and unclassified industries (Tejgaon soil series), and residential (Kajla soil series) and slum areas (Payati soil series) (e.g. Gulshan model town, Niketan Housing Society, Begunbari and other adjoining residential and slums). The other component (floodplain area i.e. Karail soil series) consisted of an earthen canal which received the overflow from the lagoon and drained into nearby Balu, Sitalakha, and Buriganga river, respectively. Bangladesh has a tropical climate, which, according to Koppens system can be described as Monsoon savannah (North), tropical savannah (W-E) and tropical rainforest (S-SE). The major seasons are the pre-monsoon season (April-May), the hot monsoon season with heavy rain falls (June-September), the post monsoon season (October- December) and the relatively cooler and dry winter season (December-March). Five composite pseudo-replicated soil, plant, and water samples of each were collected from each land-use/land cover category. Water pH was measured using a combination glass electrode meter. Electrical conductivity (EC) of the water was measured by using a conductivity meter. The Cr concentration in soil, plant, and water samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer in Center for Advanced Research in Physical, Chemical, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences laboratory of the Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The soil, plant, and water data were analyzed by the ANOVA procedure of the SAS. Using a least significant difference (LSD) test at a p≤0.05, the treatment means were separated unless otherwise mentioned.

Source of Information: Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 37, No. 2, 173-187, 2013

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The distribution of metals between the specific forms varies widely according to the individual metal and the characteristics of the wastes. These parameters include pH, temperature, oxidation-reduction potential and the presence of complexing ligands. Total trace metal composition of soil is of little importance in determining its uptake by plants and consequently, in contaminating the food chain since the different forms have different mobilities, bioavailability and potential environmental contamination potential. It is more important to know the distribution of each trace metals in the different forms, than just the total content. The results show that the soil samples were of extremely low quality in the rainy season. Their quality deteriorated several fold in the dry season. Future research is necessary to delineate the quality and quantity of different organic and inorganic fractions in the total environment. Food quality is an important issue for human survival and should be addressed with immediate urgency. Information on the pattern and distribution of heavy metals, accumulation and translocation in the edible plants from the sites of deposition in agricultural field receiving industrial wastewater would be helpful for the selection of suitable plant species that can be used as accumulator plant to minimize the concentration of these metals in the highly polluted soils.

Knowledge Management: Journal