Impact of Industrial Wastewater Irrigation on Heavy Metal Deposition in Farm Soils of Bhaluka Area, Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine heavy metal contents in industrial wastewater and contaminated soils of Bhaluka, Mymensingh and to assess their pollution level. A total of 9 industrial wastewater and 12 contaminated farm soil samples were collected directly from the farmers’ fields of Bhaluka area and analysed for this study. Considering EC, salinity and TDS, 56 to 89% wastewater samples were found problematic for long term irrigation. The concentration of CO3, HCO3 and Cl in wastewater ranged from 0.20-1.60, 2.0-11.2 and 1.30-4.79 me L-1, respectively and the content of Ca, Mg, Na and K in wastewater ranged from 16.03-52.10, 4.86-21.87, 101.98-678.90 and 5.59-48.63 mg L-1, respectively. The study results revealed that all wastewater samples were found unsuitable for irrigation in respect of CO3, HCO3 and K. Among the heavy metals studied, Pb, Cd and Fe concentrations in all wastewater samples and Mn content in 5 samples were found above than the acceptable limit for irrigation. The concentration of Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cd, Mn and Fe in wastewater irrigated soils of Bhaluka industrial area ranged from 50.48 to 448.56, 47.22 to 83.65, 19.13 to 328.23, 42.37 to 77.96, 22.93 to 43.86, 0.70 to 1.40, 161.5 to 341.7 and 38105 to 65399 μg g-1, respectively. Considering geoaccumulation index, the Igeo values for Pb and Cd for all locations of the study area exhibited positive values (0.495< Igeo <1.624), that means Igeo class: 1-2, indicate moderately polluted soil quality. On the other hand, as regards to enrichment factor (EFc), 9 locations for Pb, 5 for Cd, 1 for Zn and 1 for Cu had EFc values > 5.0, indicate contaminated soil quality. The study concluded that industrial wastewater used for irrigation was directly linked with the heavy metals deposition in the farm soils.

Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation Pattern in Edible Tissues of Different Farmed Fishes of Mymensingh Area, Bangladesh and Health Risk Assessment

“…As a result, the increasing demand of food safety has accelerated research regarding the risk associated with food consumption contaminated by heavy metals [7]. Excess amounts of heavy metals from anthropogenic sources that enter into the ecosystem may lead to geo-accumulation [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] and bio accumulation [4], which in turn pollute the environment and also affect the food chain and ultimately pose serious human health risks [15][16][17][18][19].…”

Metallic Health Risk through Consumption of Different Rice Varieties Cultivated in Industrial Wastewater Irrigated Farmers’ Fields of Bhaluka Area, Bangladesh

“…Zinc content in polished rice of Bangladesh ranged from 7.0-23.9 mg kg -1 with a mean value of 1.29 mg kg -1 [29], which is comparatively lower than the present study result. Soil samples collected from the same wastewater irrigated farmers' fields of Bhaluka area contained higher amount of Zn [15], which might contribute in enhanced Zn accumulation in different parts of rice. The maximal tolerable level of dietary Zn for cattle is suggested to be 300 to 1000 mg kg -1 diet [20], and both straw and husk contained Zn within this range (Table 4).…”

“…Concentrations of Cr in 3 domestic and 7 imported rice brands varied from 0.33-0.55 µg g -1 [31], which is too lower than the present study results. Such a high variation in rice grain Cr content might be due to higher amount of available Cr in soils of wastewater irrigated farmers' fields of Bhaluka area [15]. On the other hand, for livestock the maximum tolerable concentration of Cr in the diet is set at 3000 mg kg -1 for the oxide form and 1000 mg kg -1 for the chloride form of the trivalent forms of Cr, and hexavalent forms of Cr are at least five times more toxic for cattle [20].…”

“…As a consequence, heavy metals are accumulating by the crops grown in such soils and subsequently contaminating the food chain, which ultimately pose serious threat to human being [12][13][14]. Furthermore, our previous study for the same area already focused on heavy metal contents in industrial wastewater and their deposition status in farm soils [15]. Under this circumstances, this work was undertaken to determine heavy metal contents in rice grown in those industrial wastewater irrigated farmers' fields of Bhaluka area, Mymensingh and to assess health risk for adult male and female through consumption of those rice.…”

Seasonal Variation of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Farm Soils of Sreepur Industrial Area of Gazipur, Bangladesh: Pollution Level Assessment

“…The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) is a common criterion used for quantifying the intensity of heavy metal contamination in terrestrial, aquatic and marine environments, which has been used by many researchers in order to determine the extent of the metal accumulation in the soil and sediments (Gaur et al, 2005;Zakir et al, 2015b;2017c;Hossain and Zakir, 2016;Islam et al, 2020). The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) introduced by Muller (1969) was used to assess heavy metal pollution in different industrial soils of Sreepur Upazila of Gazipur district.…”