Soil contamination of heavy metals in the Katedan Industrial Development Area, Hyderabad, India

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 2008-05, Vol.140 (1-3), p.313-323
• Main Authors: Govil, P. K, Sorlie, J. E, Murthy, N. N, Sujatha, D, Reddy, G. L. N, Rudolph-Lund, Kim, Krishna, A. K, Rama Mohan, K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Applied sciences; Arsenic; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Cadmium; Chromium; Contaminants; Distribution maps; Ditches; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecology; Ecotoxicology; Edible oils; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Groundwater; Hazardous wastes; Heavy metals; Hydrologic cycle; India; Industrial areas; Industrial development; Industrial pollution; Industrial wastes; Katedan Industrial Area; Metals; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Neighborhoods; Nickel; Pollution; Pollution monitoring; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Pollution, environment geology; Rain; Remediation strategy; Residential areas; Roads & highways; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil contaminants; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - analysis; soil pollution; Soil quality; Solid wastes; Spectrometry, Fluorescence - methods; Studies; Trace elements; Trace metals; Wind; X-ray fluorescence; X-Rays
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-007-9869-x

Studies on quantitative soil contamination due to heavy metals were carried out in Katedan Industrial Development Area (KIDA), south of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India under the Indo-Norwegian Institutional Cooperation Programme. The study area falls under a semi-arid type of climate and consists of granites and pegmatite of igneous origin belonging to the Archaean age. There are about 300 industries dealing with dyeing, edible oil production, battery manufacturing, metal plating, chemicals, etc. Most of the industries discharge their untreated effluents either on open land or into ditches. Solid waste from industries is randomly dumped along roads and open grounds. Soil samples were collected throughout the industrial area and from downstream residential areas and were analysed by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer for fourteen trace metals and ten major oxides. The analytical data shows very high concentrations of lead, chromium, nickel, zinc, arsenic and cadmium through out the industrial area. The random dumping of hazardous waste in the industrial area could be the main cause of the soil contamination spreading by rainwater and wind. In the residential areas the local dumping is expected to be the main source as it is difficult to foresee that rain and wind can transport the contaminants from the industrial area. If emission to air by the smokestacks is significant, this may contribute to considerable spreading of contaminants like As, Cd and Pb throughout the area. A comparison of the results with the Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (SQGL) show that most of the industrial area is heavily contaminated by As, Pb and Zn and local areas by Cr, Cu and Ni. The residential area is also contaminated by As and some small areas by Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. The Cd contamination is detected over large area but it is not exceeding the SQGL value. Natural background values of As and Cr exceed the SQGL values and contribute significantly to the contamination in the residential area. However, the availability is considerably less than anthropogenic contaminants and must therefore be assessed differently. The pre- and post-monsoon sampling over two hydrological cycles in 2002 and 2003 indicate that the As, Cd and Pb contaminants are more mobile and may expect to reach the groundwater. The other contaminants seem to be much more stable. The contamination is especially serious in the industrial area as it is housing a large permanent residing population. The study not only aim