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Status and Spatial Variability of Trace Elements in the Low Ganges River Floodplain Soils of Bangladesh

M. D. Islam
Department of Soil Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh

M. M. Rahman*
Department of Soil Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh

M. H. Kabir
Department of Soil Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh

G. K. M. M. Rahman
Department of Soil Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur-1706, Bangladesh

M. S. Hossain
Department of Soil Science, Sylhet Agricultural University

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Soils of the Low Ganges River Floodplain encroaching Faridpur district of Bangladesh have immense contribution to crop production, while little information available focusing the spatial variability of trace elements in the area. Therefore, the study was conducted to quantify the trace elements collecting a total of 122 representative soil samples from rice fields of Faridpur district. Soil samples were analyzed and found that Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and B were ranged from 0.80-6.80, 24–295, 10–129, 0.12–2.20 and 0.5-9.05 ppm, respectively. The pollution indexes are noteworthy features which revealed that only Mn may exhibit a risk for environmental pollution. The concentrations of trace elements, pH and organic carbon in soils displayed a significant spatial diversity because of anthropogenic and geogenic contribution. The distribution maps of soil pH, organic carbon and trace elements might be useful to farmers, researchers and planners in designing and planning agricultural programs in the study area.

Keywords: Ganges river floodplain, Spatial variability, Trace elements

Location: Faridpur district of Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Micronutrient

Objectives:

The present study was undertaken to determine pH, organic carbon, copper, iron, manganese, zinc and boron contents and produce spatial distribution maps of the Low Ganges River Floodplain soils in the Faridpur district of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The study was conducted in the Low Ganges River Floodplain agroecological zone encroaching Faridpur district of Bangladesh within 23.040 – 23.410 N latitude and 89.000 – 90.080 E longitude. All eight upazilas of Faridpur district viz. Faridpur Sadar, Alfadanga, Nagarkanda, Sadarpur, Char Bhadrasan, Bhanga, Boalmari and Madhukhali were considered for soil sampling sites. The major land types of the study area were medium high, medium low and low where the cropping patterns were Boro - T. aman – fallow for the first one and Boro - fallow - fallow for the second and third. Boro and transplanted aman (T. aman) are two major rice in Bangladesh. Boro rice is cultivated in the dry season under full irrigation, while T. aman cultivated in the monsoon as mainly rainfed crop or supplemented by partial irrigation if needed. A total of 122 representative soil samples from the above mentioned upazilas were collected following standard protocol (BARC, 2012). An equal sampling distance among sampling points were possibly maintained. Latitudes and longitudes of each sampling points were recorded using global positioning system (GPS). Soil samples were collected from 4 x 4 km grid from rice – rice cropping pattern and those points were plotted in the upazila map along with the mouza before going to sampling. If any point did not match with rice-rice system then nearest mouza with rice-rice cropping pattern was selected. From each of the selected mouza, three soil samples were collected diagonally considering 0-20 cm depth: one from near, one from middle and other from the tail end of the command area. Each sample was the composite of three sub- samples and GPS value was taken from the middle of the sub- samples. Information such as depth, cropping pattern, land type, etc of the sampling fields were also recorded. The collected soil samples were air dried, sieved using 2 mm mesh sieve and kept in plastic pots with proper labeling. Soil pH was determined by Glass Electrode pH meter method, organic carbon by wet oxidation method, boron by Azomethine H colorimetric method and manganese, copper, zinc and iron by di-acid digestion method (Page et al., 1982). Pollution indexes (PIs) for each Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were calculated using the ratio of its measured minimum and maximum concentrations (Cs) to the background concentration (Cb) in soil as mentioned below (Chen et al., 2005; Wei and Yang, 2010): PI = Cs/Cb. Where, the units of Cs and Cb were ppm. The soil background values of Zn and Cu were considered 86.5 and 31.1 ppm, respectively (CNEMC, 1990), while for Fe and Mn the values were 3700 ppm (Silva, 1996) and 100 ppm (Bowen 1966), respectively. The PI for metals were classified as low (PI ≤ 1), medium (1 < PI ≤ 3) and high contamination (PI > 3). All statistical analyses in this study were performed using SPSS software version 16.0 and Microsoft Excel. All the distribution maps of trace metals were prepared using the Arc GIS software.

Source of Information: J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 9(2): 71-78, 2016 ISSN 1999-7361

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The Low Ganges River Floodplain comprises typical meander landscape of broad ridges and basins. Soils of the study area are calcareous in nature having neutral to alkaline in reaction. Organic carbon contents were found very low to low in ridges and medium to very high in basin areas. The concentrations of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and B in soils were ranged from 0.80-6.80 ppm, 24– 295 ppm, 10–129 ppm, 0.12–2.20 ppm and 0.5-9.05 ppm, respectively. As per soil fertility ranking Cu, Fe and Mn contents are rated as very high, Zn very low to high and B optimum to very high. The pollution indexes of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were ranged from 0.03-0.22, 0.01-0.08, 0.10-1.29 and 0.001-0.03, respectively. It was observed that except Mn, the loading indexes of other three metals were far below from the minimum level (≤ 1) to be considered as least pollution. The pollution indexes revealed that only Mn may exhibit a risk for environmental pollution. The concentrations of trace metals, pH and organic carbon in surface soil of the study area displayed a significant spatial diversity and distribution maps might be useful for different stakeholders for sustainable agriculture.

Knowledge Management: Journal