Assessment of heavy metals accumulation in agricultural crops around industrial area located in Himalayan foothills

Abstract

newline x newlineABSTRACT newlineThe present study entitled Assessment of heavy metals accumulation in agricultural crops around industrial area located in Himalayan foothills was carried out in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. In the present investigation seven sites (Area I-VII) were selected in Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh (BBN) industrial belt and from each site five sampling sub-sites (S1-S35) were selected. For ground water examination, water samples from bore-wells of selected sites of BBN industrial area were collected for two seasons and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), chlorides, magnesium, calcium, sodium and bicarbonates. Physicochemical characteristics of water of industrial area registered higher values during rabi seasons and lower values during kharif season. The bicarbonate concentration in water was above the permissible limit recommended by WHO (400 mg/l) at Area II during both the seasons. The dissolved oxygen in water was also below the WHO permissible limit of (5 mg/l) at Area II-VI during rabi season. Seasons of the year also induced variations in different soil parameters around industrial area. Soil samples from the selected sites of agricultural land around BBN industrial area were analyzed for pH, EC, CaCO3, organic carbon, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium and available sodium. Agricultural soil of industrial area was registered alkaline in nature. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, calcium carbonate, available nitrogen and available phosphorus were increased from rabi to kharif season. Major agricultural crops around the BBN industrial area such as Zea mays, Oryza sativa, Abelmoschus esculentus for kharif season and Triticum aestivum for rabi season were selected for assessment of micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) and heavy metals (Cr, Hg As, Cd, Pb and Ni) accumulation. O. sativa grains accumulated high heavy metal concentration and these toxic metals were noticed above the permissible level at maximum sites in all crops. Cr, Cd, Zn, Pb and Hg were above the permissible limits in all studied crops. Cu, As, Mn and Ni were observed below the permissible limits. Economic crops grown around industrial area show transference of toxic metals from soil and water to plants around industrial area which is closely related to human health. Cultivation of crops and vegetables in the studied area without remediation of toxic metals is a harmful practice and required continuous monitoring of soil, plant and water quality together with prevention of metals entering crops and vegetables to prevent potential health hazards to human beings. newlineKeywords: Heavy metals, agricultural crops, industrial area, soil analysis, water analysis.