ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Heavy Metals Occurrence, Seasonal Variation
and Enrichment in Urban Soils Augmented
with Industrial Waste
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1
Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan
2
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan
3
Department of Statistics, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan
4
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University, 38000 Faisalabad, Pakistan
5
Department of Biological Sciences and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
6
Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, 11451-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2020-10-18
Final revision date: 2020-12-30
Acceptance date: 2021-01-20
Online publication date: 2021-08-09
Publication date: 2021-09-22
Corresponding author
Muhammad Zubair
Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat Pakistan, 50700, Gujrat, Pakistan
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2021;30(5):4871-4886
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ABSTRACT
Present study was planned on the basis of prior field survey with main objective to determine
concentrations of selected metals temporally (winter, spring, summer) in the industrial waste
sediments, accumulate and enrich in the soils of Gujranwala city. Initially, physiochemical properties
of samples pH (>8) colour (grey to black), odour (phenolic) and textures (amorphous to granular) were
studied. Moisture contents 0.15-31% with RSD 0.17-16.87 shows variation because of seasonal effect.
Overall, ICP-OES analysis reveals concentrations of thirteen selected metals in the range
0.40-379200 mg/kg with lowest of Ag and highest of Al. Statistically, RMANOVA was applied to
reveal significant variations within the metals and between the seasons, showing significant metals
effect seasonally. Environmental risk was estimated using geo-accumulation index and enrichment
factor comparing reference crustal values (Bn) of metals in soil and Fe as reference metal. Aluminium
accumulates very strongly and contaminate the soils more than Fe having no contamination in soil.
Enrichment factor of Al also found highest indicating the highest enrichment level in the top soil.
Overall, Fe and Al among thirteen elements found highest in quantity in the soil samples establishing
significant impact in the soil due to their higher concentration. Finally, estimations are supporting
the conclusion that metals may have a significant effect in soils where industrial waste is disposed.