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Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination of Agricultural Field Around Brick Kilns in Joypurhat District, Bangladesh

Tamjid-Us-Sakib
Institute of Mining, Mineralogy and Metallurgy (IMMM), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Joypurhat-5900, Bangladesh

Mst. Shanjida Sultana
Institute of Mining, Mineralogy and Metallurgy (IMMM), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Joypurhat-5900, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The present work assessed the heavy metal contamination of agricultural field around two selected brick kilns, where brick kiln is in the center of agricultural land using two soil pollution indices such as geo accumulation index (Igeo) and single element pollution index (SEPI). For conducting this experiment, a total of 10 soil samples and 13 plant samples were collected from the soil surface which was almost 50-200 m away from the kilns. During the study, soil properties such as pH, EC, organic carbon content and organic matter was also determined. The heavy metal (Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu) concentrations were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Concentrations of Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu were found to be below detection limit to 7.75, 10.0 to 64.94, 4.62 to 16.39, 0.20 to 3.37 and 2.69 to 9.63 ppm respectively. The results of single element pollution index (SEPI) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) of soils of studied area indicated that the soils are unpolluted with regards to Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu. Interestingly, it was found that there is a prominent difference in concentration between plant tissues and soils of investigated area. Plant tissue concentration of Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu were found to be 6.0 to 62, 19.1 to 113.8, 21 to 75.6, 16.59 to 78.55 and 1.0 to 71.7 ppm respectively. Environmental condition, plants species and soil properties are some factors might be responsible for such differences.

Keywords: Brick Kilns Emission, Heavy Metals, Soil Contamination, Single Element Pollution Index, Geo Accumulation Index, Plants Tissues

Location: Joypurhat District, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Heavy metal, Brick kilning industry

Objectives:

The objective of the present investigation was to find out the concentration of some heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu) in agricultural soil as well as plants due to the establishment of brick kiln.

Methodology:

A. Site slecetion The selection of the brick kiln was based on nearness to agricultural lands as the study comprised determination of contamination in agricultural land around a brick kilns. For this purpose, two brick kilns namely Site 1 & Site 2 were selected in Joypurhat Sadar Upazila which were surrounded by cropped area and at the time of sampling the brick kilns were in operation.

B. Collection and preparation of Soil Samples A total of 10 Soil samples (0–15 cm depth) from agricultural field around two brick kiln were collected. All of the sampling point is almost 50-200 m away from the kilns. Around Site-1, seven soil samples were collected from agricultural land surrounding the kilns. At the time of the sampling, it was found that there were only few fields left for cultivation because most of fields are used for collection of soil for brick making purposes or peoples were unwilling to cultivate their land due to low yield. Therefore, around Site-2, only three soil samples were collected. Soil samples were collected using an augar. The GPS coordinates of the sampling site was recorded with the help of a GPS label of each sites. TABLE I. SAMPLING LOCATION AND THEIR CORRESPONDING GEOGRAPHICAL POSITIONS Sampling location Latitude Longitude S-1 25° 4'49.9"N 88°59'56.98"E S-2 25° 4'50.53"N 88°59'54.57"E S-3 25° 4'50.35"N 88°59'52.32"E S-4 25° 4'48.55"N 88°59'51.03"E S-5 25° 4'46.05"N 88°59'51.01"E S-6 25° 4'44.45"N 88°59'54.20"E S-7 25° 4'45.67"N 88°59'57.80"E S-8 25° 4'49.43"N 89° 0'19.25"E S-9 25° 4'46.52"N 89° 0'21.77"E S-10 25° 4'45.89"N 89° 0'15.60"E Soil samples were collected using an augar. The GPS coordinates of the sampling site was recorded with the help of a GPS and the coordinate values and label of each sites are presented in Table I. The soil samples were collected as outlined by FAO [10] and Jackson. Each of the collected soil samples were dried in the air for 3 days by spreading on separate sheet of thick coarse brown paper. Visible roots and debris were removed from the soil sample and discarded. After air drying, a portion of the sample was broken by gently crashing them by a wooden hammer. The ground soils were passed through a 0.5 mm stainless steel sieve. Soil samples were preserved in plastic containers and labeled properly showing the site number, location and date of collection. The sieved soils were used for chemical and physico-chemical analysis.

C. Collection and preparation of Plant Samples A total of 13 different types of plant species from agricultural field around two brick kiln were collected. Around Site-1, ten different types of plant species were collected from seven sampling points within agricultural land surrounding the kilns. At the time of the sampling, it was found that all the plants species was in their maturity stage. It was also found that plants species were not available at all direction due to operational activities of brick kilns. Therefore, only one plant species was found around Site-2. All the plant species were collected manually through uprooting them. Different plants species from different sampling locations with their code were presented in table II. All samples were put in polythene zip-bags and transported to the laboratory on the day of sampling. All the plants species were washed in fresh running water to eliminate dusts, dirties, possible parasites or their eggs and were finally washed with deionized water. The clean vegetable samples were air-dried and placed in an electric oven at 70-80°C for 72–96 hours depending on the sample size. The dry vegetable samples were homogenized by grinding using a ceramic coated grinder and used for metal analysis.

D. Determination of physic-chemical Properties of Soil Among physic-chemical properties of soil, pH, EC, texture and organic carbon of the soil samples were analyzed. Soil pH was measured in a soil water suspension in the 1:2.5 soil:water ratio (w:v), by a glass electrode pH meter. The electrical conductivity of the soil was measured in the saturation extract of the soil with the help of an EC meter. The total organic carbon of the soil samples was determined by wet oxidation method by Walkley and Black. Organic matter was calculated by multiplying the percent value of organic carbon by conventional Van Bemmelen’s factor of 1.724.

E. Determination of heavy metals content of Soil and Plants Total copper (Cu), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) content of the soil and plant samples were determined directly by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Varian AA240) from nitric acid (HNO3) digestion.

Source of Information: International Journal of Science and Engineering Investigations, Volume 6, Issue 70, November 2017 ISSN: 2251-8843

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Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The present study carried out to understand levels of metal contamination in soils and plants of agricultural land around brick kilns. The results indicate that the soil samples studied can be considered to be low levels of contamination. Based on the single element pollution index, the studied area is not contaminated with respect to Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu and according to study based on geo-accumulation index the area is also unpolluted with regards to Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu. Among all heavy metals that examined, very low level of concentration was observed for Zn. However, Cr and Ni showed highest level of contamination in compared to other metals. When comparing the contamination among different site, Cr concentration in all the sites of brick kilns-2 showed greater contamination than brick kilns-1. Interestingly, it was found that there is a marked difference in concentration between plant tissues and soils of investigated area. Environmental condition, plants species and soil properties are some factors might be responsible for such differences. The concentration of heavy metals in all investigated plants samples was found nearly above the permissible limits of WHO (1996) for plants.

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