Heavy Metals Status and Distribution in Various Soils and River Sediment from Cold Desert High Altitude Microclimate

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the heavy metal status and their distribution in soils and sediments in the cold desert high altitude region. For the study, grazing land, road side soil, agriculture soil, and Indus river sediment were selected; soil samples were analyzed for nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). The results revealed that in agriculture soil, the total mean concentrations of Ni, Cr, Co, Cu and As were 75.5±6.7, 19.9±0.4, 99.2±7.1, 38.8±1.2, and 8.82±1.4 ppm, respectively. Meanwhile, in grazing land, the levels of Cr, Ni, Cu, and Co were 106.0±8.5, 78.1±6.9, 28.6±2.6, 23.4±2.1 ppm, respectively. Total Ni content was found above the threshold limit in agricultural soil, whereas other metals were below the threshold limit as reported by earlier studies. Furthermore, the Ni again poses a problem in grazing land, roadside soil, and river sediments and is found within the threshold limit. The present study reported that the heavy metals are widely distributed in various soil ecosystems and sediment at cold arid high altitude and it indicates that the geological system, rocks and the parent material of this microclimate have ample amounts of heavy metals.