soil paper

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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF

CONTAMINATED SITES OF RANIPET, TAMILNADU, INDIA

V.L.Nirmal Bhargavi*, Dr.P.N.Sudha

*Global Institute of Engineering & Technology, Melvisharam, Vellore

PG & Research Department of Chemistry, DKM College, Vellore

Abstract

A soil pollutant is any factor which deteriorates the quality, texture and mineral content

of the soil or which disturbs the biological balance of the organisms in the soil. Pollution in soil

has adverse effect on plant growth. Ranipet industrial area, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, India

is found to be world’s fifth largest polluted area and has vast agricultural lands, in the

uncultivable condition due to heavy metal and other pollution. The study was performed at sites

affected by the heavy metal pollution. The study was performed at sites affected by the heavy

metal pollution due to the discharge of effluents from various industries in Ranipet Industrial

Town. Hence the present investigation has been focused on the analysis of physico-chemical

factors and heavy metals in the soil and water due to the pollution caused by the industries in

Ranipet like Malladi drugs and pharmaceuticals, Thirumalai chemicals limited, a dyeing unit

and also tanneries. The effluents from the industries have caused irreversible damage to the

environment. Productive soils are necessary for agriculture to supply the world with sufficient

food. Regular monitoring of the situation is highly necessary to stop the damage caused by the

industries.

Key words: heavy metal pollution, physico chemical parameters, heavy metal speciation.

Introduction

Soil pollution is the contamination of soil by human and natural activities, resulting in

change of soil quality, which is likely to affect the normal use of the soil or endangering public

health and the living environment. Soil physicochemical properties are adversely affected by

high concentrations of heavy metals, rendering contaminated soils unsuitable for crop

production. Soil is the thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earth's rocky

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surface. The organic portion, which is derived from the decayed remains of plants and animals, is

concentrated in the dark uppermost topsoil. The inorganic portion made up of rock fragments,

was formed over thousands of years by physical and chemical weathering of bedrock. Thus soil

consists of a mixture of weathered minerals and varying amounts of organic matter.

Soils can be contaminated as a result of spills or direct contact with contaminated waste

streams such as airborne emissions, process solid wastes, sludges, or leachate from waste

materials. The solubility of metals in soil is influenced by the chemistry of the soil and

groundwater (Sposito, 1989). The most common chemicals involved in causing soil pollution are

Petroleum hydrocarbons, Heavy metals, Pesticides and solvents. This occurrence of this

phenomenon is correlated with the degree of industrialization and intensities of chemical usage.

If contaminated soil is used to grow food, the land will usually produce lower yields than it

would if it were not contaminated. This, in turn, can cause even more harm because a lack of

plants on the soil will cause more erosion, spreading the contaminants onto land that might not

have been tainted before. In addition, the pollutants will change the makeup of the soil and the

types of microorganisms that will live in it. If certain organisms die off in the area, the larger

predator animals will also have to move away or die because they've lost their food supply. Thus

it's possible for soil pollution to change whole ecosystems.

The industries in Ranipet are Malladi drugs and Pharmaceuticals, manufacturing various

drugs; Thirumalai Chemicals Limited (TCL) manufacturing organic compounds; Parry &

Company (Ceramics); Ultramarine (Dyes); finished leather industries; Foundries; Dying units;

about 140 tanneries are established under SIPCOT and TIDCO, the Government enterprises.

Some of them are under private sectors too. Tanneries generate wastewater in the range of 30 -

35 L/kg skin / hide processed with variable pH and high concentrations of suspended solids,

BOD, COD, tannins including chromium (Nandy et al. 1999). The smudges of The Tamil Nadu

Chromate and Chemicals Limited (TCC) (which was temporarily closed in the year 1995 due to

the heavy damages on aquatic and terrestrial environments manufactured sodium di chromate,

the basic tanning powder) also contaminate the soil in Karai, a village in Ranipet. These

industries are surrounded by number of villages and theirs agricultural fields, irrigation wells and

irrigation reservoirs.

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

Soil and Water samples were collected from lakes of the five areas of Ranipet namely

(1) Karai (2) Pulianthangal (3) Bharathi nagar (4) Tandalam and (5) Maniyambat. The samples

were brought to the laboratory and the following physico-chemical characteristics of the soil andwater were analyzed.

a) Physico-chemical characteristics and heavy metals of water samples such as pH, Electrical

conductivity (EC), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD),

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended

Solids (TSS), Total Solids (TS), Alkalinity, Chloride, Hardness, Sodium and heavy

metals such as cadmium, copper, cobalt, nickel, chromium lead and zinc were analyzed

as per the methods of APHA (1998).The Extracts from five different fractions were

analysed for heavy metals such as Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Cobalt, Lead, Nickel

and Zinc using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry.

b) Physico-chemical factors of soil such as pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), moisture, porosity,

specific gravity, calcium, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium (NPK values) and heavy metals such

as cadmium, copper, cobalt, nickel, chromium, zinc and lead were analyzed as per the standards

of APHA (1990). The heavy metal concentration was estimated using Atomic Absorption

Spectroscopy (Varian AAA 220 FS).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Soil and water sample (1) collected from karai lake is polluted by the effluents of

Thirumalai chemicals and leather factories, Phase I. Soil and water sample (2) collected fromPulianthangal is affected by leather factories, Phase II. Soil and water sample (3) is collected

from Bharathi nagar which is contaminated by Malladi drugs. Soil and water sample (4)

collected from Tandalam is polluted by Malladi drugs and Stahll India pvt ltd. Soil and water

sample(5) is collected from Muniyambat contaminated by Leather industries, Phase II.

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Table 1: Physico chemical parameters of water samples of the five areas:

Parameters

(1) Karai (2)

Pulianthangal

(3) Bharathi

nagar

(4)

Tandalam

(5)

Muniyambat

pH 7.8 8.5 7.65 6.70 7.5

Electrical

conductivity

(µ mhos/cm)

915 4160 7480 3150 726

Total Dissolved

Solids mg/lit749 2212 5443 3405 664

Turbidity mg/lit 2 2 3 2 2

BOD mg/lit 310 755 450 539 420

COD mg/lit 787 1874 745 1290 1326

Total alkalinity

mg/lit188 811 724 936 268

Total Hardness

mg/lit220 2400 1110 920 300

Ammonia mg/lit 0 27 0 24 11.5

Nitrite mg/lit 12 613 63 250 4.7

Nitrate mg/lit 73 118 23 436 115

Potassium mg/lit 112 543 184 112 117

Phosphorus mg/lit 0.323 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.60

Calcium mg/lit 125 1640 475 912 336

Sodium mg/lit 125 1822 989 1748 158

Chloride mg/lit 210 1750 1370 1540 270

Chromium mg/lit 241 1247 4594 2125 168

Cadmium mg/lit 12 79 78 147 39

Physico-chemical characteristics of water samples

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Electrical conductivity was found to be high in the water samples collected from

Pulianthangal, Bharathi nagar, and Tandalam. Total dissolved solids were found to be very high

in Bharathi nagar sample. Tandalam and Pulianthangal samples also showed higher values of

TDS. Total hardness was in the order II > III > IV > V> I. The highest value of total hardness in

site II is attributed to the usage of calcium salts in dehairing the hides. COD values were found to

be in the order II> V> IV >I >III. This may be because sites II and V are highly polluted by the

effluents from tanneries.

Table 2: Physico chemical parameters of soil samples of the five areas:

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Physico-chemical characteristics and heavy metals of soil samples

The analysis of the results of physico-chemical properties and heavy metals in the soil

samples collected from the sites showed significant increase in pH, Electrical conductivity,

alkalinity etc.

The pH shows alkalinity in the two sites Karai and Bharathi Nagar. Electrical conductivity

values were found to be very high in all the samples except Karai. The samples showed very

high sodium as sodium chloride is being used in the preservation of hides.

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Parameters

(1) Karai (2) Pulianthangal (3)

Bharathi

nagar

(4) Tandalam (5) Muniyambat

pH 8.1 7.4 8.1 7.7 7

Electrical

Conductivity

(µ mhos/cm2)

315 3110 3450 3721 428

Moisture % 31 32 26 28 35

Porosity 3.15 3.11 3.4 2.24 3.81

Alkalinity

mg/Kg382 411 403 441 381

Salinity mg/Kg 54.2 543.9 252.4 460.1 123.4

Organic matter

%4.0 6.0 2.5 9.1 8.1

Nitrite mg/Kg 91.3 71.5 142.2 95 78Ammonia

mg/Kg92.4 51.2 17.32 94.2 71.4

Nitrate mg/Kg 945 404 1410 1013 863

Phosphorous

mg/Kg123 912 627 396 212

Potassium

mg/Kg91 172 91 301 228

Sodium mg/Kg 442 964 1758 1124 933

Calcium mg/Kg 1045 1031 1322 1010 910Chromiummg/lit

241 1247 4594 2125 168

Cadmiummg/lit

12 42 35 76 15



High concentration of heavy metal chromium was recorded in the samples collected from

Pulianthangal, Bharathi nagar and Tandalam since sodium dichromate is used as a basic tanning

powder in the chrome tanning process. On comparison of all the samples, Tandalam soil showed

high concentration of heavy metal cadmium.

The discharge of wastewater into water bodies may cause a drop or increase their pH

affecting size and activities of microbial populations therein. Alkaline tannery wastewater was

reported by (Shukla and Shukla 1994, Kadam 1990, Sastry 1986, Sakthivel and Sampath 1990)

and in the present study the soil and water samples are alkaline.

Increase in EC values indicates presence of higher concentrations of ions. The quantity of

dissolved solids in parts per million (ppm) or mg/L by weight is directly proportional to

conductivity in millimhos (mMhos) per unit volume. However the electrical conductivity (EC)

varies not only to the concentration of salts present, but also to the chemical composition of the

nutrient solution. In the present study, all the samples show higher values of electrical

conductivity than the accepted limit of 75-200 µ mhos/cm. At present, the EC of water is one of

the important parameters used to determine the suitability of water for irrigation. Water having

EC more than 20 µ mhos/cm have not been found suitable for irrigation purpose. (Trivedi, R.K

and P. K. Goel. 1986)

Alkalinity in wastewater results from the presence of the hydroxides [OH- ], carbonates

[CO32-], and bicarbonates [HCO3

-]. Alkalinity is the capacity of wastewaters to neutralize acids,

and is undesirable (Trivedy and Goel 1986).

Pulianthangal lake water shows high BOD and COD values. The high BOD levels are

indications of the pollution strength of the wastewaters. The determination BOD involves the

measurement of the dissolved oxygen used by microorganisms in the biochemical oxidation of

organic matter. The analysis of the results reveals that the BOD values of all the samples are very

high. The COD test is used to measure the oxygen equivalent of the organic material in waste

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water that can be oxidized chemically using dichromate in an acid solution, when the organic

nitrogen is in the reduced. High COD levels indicate toxic state of the wastewater along with

presence of biologically resistant organic substances (Sawyer and McCarty 1978). Increase in

COD indicates the levels of organic and inorganic pollutants in the effluents (Trivedy and Goel.,

1986)

Organic matter contributes to plant growth through its effect on the physical, chemical,

and biological properties of the soil. Soil organic matter gives the ability withhold water and

nutrients, therefore giving plants the capacity for growth. Another advantage of organic matter is

that it helps the soil to stick together which allows nematodes, or microscopic bacteria, to easily

decay the nutrients in the soil. The percentage of soil organic matter is found to be very low in all

the samples in the present study.

The total dissolved solids were found to be very high in Bharathi Nagar sample. This may

increase salinity of the water and thus may render it unfit for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Consumption of water with high concentrations of total dissolved solids has been reported to

cause disorders of alimentary canal, respiratory system, nervous system, coronary systems,

besides, causing miscarriage and cancer (Reddy and Subba Rao 2001).

The chloride contents in tannery effluents were higher (1370-1750 mg/l) as also reported

by other workers (Dikshit and Shukla 1989, Sakthivel and Sampath 1990). Chloride is used in its

salt form to preserve the hides.

According to Environment Protection Agency (2002) permissible limits of nitrate in

wastewater for discharge on land should be less than 10 mg/l as high concentrations of nitrates

can cause serious health problems, when used for various purposes such as irrigation or drinking

purposes. Soil sample of Bharathi nagar (1410 ppm) and water sample of Tandalam (436 ppm)

show very high concentrations of nitrate.

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Cr (VI) is the more toxic form of chromium and is also more mobile. (Chrotowski et al.,

1991).The results showed a wide variation in the concentration of heavy metals. Hellawell

(1988) and Avila et al. (1999) reported that heavy metals toxicity is affected by temperature, DO

concentrations and pH and an increase in pH generally decreases the solubility of many toxic

heavy metals. In general, all the samples had higher concentration of cadmium and chromium.

CONCLUSION:

The above research work forms an authentic scientific report on the various contaminated

sites. Thus, from the above discussion, it was found that all the physico-chemical parameters of

the effluents are very high than the permissible limits and thus it is inferred that the effluents

from the above said industries are discharged without proper treatment. Since, Ranipet Industrial

area is highly polluted by the effluents from various industries, which had caused irreversible

damage to the agricultural lands, it becomes necessary to analyze the water resources and to

monitor the physico-chemical factors and heavy metals in soils of this area.

REFERENCES:

1. Sposito, G. (1989), The Chemistry of Soils, Oxford University Press, New York,

277 p.

2. Nandy, T., S.N. Kaul, S. Shastry, W. Manivel and C.V. Deshpande. 1999. Waste- water

management in cluster of tanneries in Tamil nadu through implementation of commontreatment plants. Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research 58: 475- 516.

3. APHA, AWWA and WPCF. 1998. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water andWastewater. Washington, D.C 20th edition, New York.Tessier et al.,(1979).

4. Shukla, A. and N. P. Shukla. 1994. Tannery and electroplating effluent treatment-Precipitation of Chromium and Nickel. Indian Journal of Environmental Protection 14

(6): 457-461.

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5. Trivedi, R.K and P. K. Goel. 1986. Chemical and Biological methods for the water

pollution studies. Environment Publication, Karad.

6. Hellawell MJ (1988). Biological Indicators of freshwater pollution andEnvironmental

Manegement, Pollution Monitoring Series, 50: 61-85.

7. Avila-Pe’rez P, Balcazar M, Zarazua-Ortega G, Barselo Quintal I, Diaz-Deldago C

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8. Sawyer, C.C. and P.L. McCarty. 1978. Chemistry for Environmental Engineers. McGraw

Hill, New York. pp 331-514.

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10. Dikshit, V.P. and N. P Shukla. 1989. Waste recycling and pollution control in Indiantanneries. Indian Journal of Environmental Protection 9(3): 182-186.

11.Sakthivel, M. and K. Sampath. 1990. Respiration, blood cells and food conversion

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Experimental toxicology, Jai Research Foundation, Valvada, pp. 139 – I50.

12. Environmental Protection Act 2002. Standards for Effluent Discharge Regulations.

General Notice No. 44. of 2003.

13.Chrotowski.P., Durda, J.L., and Edelman.K.G. (1991), “The Use of Natural Processes for

the Control of Chromium Migration,” Remediation, 2, pp. 341-351

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