Soil and Water Contamination by Potentially Hazardous Elements: A Case History From India

Abstract Detailed studies were carried out at Katedan Industrial Development Area (KIDA), Hyderabad, Telangana State, India, to identify the extraneous sources that can contaminate the groundwater by percolating through the soil cover, and accordingly we suggest possible remediation measures. Different media like soil, sediments, surface water, groundwater, lake sediments, and dump sites were studied for potentially hazardous elements present in them, and the nature of their migration. The studies reveal that the soil and water samples in the KIDA have high concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) relative to WHO guideline values. The following are the maximum concentrations observed in: (1) groundwater (As = 61 μg/L, Cd = 9 μg/L, Cr = 81 μg/L, Ni = 216 μg/L, Cu = 208 μg/L, Pb = 278 μg/L, and Zn = 5260 μg/L), (2) surface water (As = 32 μg/L, Cd = 132 μg/L, Cr = 142 μg/L, Cu = 152 μg/L, Pb = 360 μg/L, and Zn = 5906 μg/L), and (3) soil/sediment (As = 96 mg/kg, Cd = 3.0 mg/kg, Cr = 138 mg/kg, Ni = 61 mg/kg, Pb = 25 mg/kg, and Zn = 204 mg/kg).