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Assessment of heavy metal pollution in the agricultural soils, plants, and in the atmospheric particulate matter of a suburban industrial region in Dhaka, Bangladesh

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Abstract

Unplanned industrialization and improper management of wastes and gases into open surfaces are affecting the agricultural lands causing heavy metal pollution. This study monitored a suburban industrial zone located beside the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) at the Dhaka district in Bangladesh. We studied the heavy metal (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, Pb, and Cd) concentration in the agricultural soils, plants, and in the atmospheric particulate matter (PM). The soils were found moderately contaminated with Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, and Zn and less contamination with Mn, Cr, Pb, and Cd. The enrichment factor (EF) and pollution load index (PLI) concluded a moderate level of soil pollution in this region. Besides, the plant samples showed an excess level of Cr and a similar level of Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, Pb, and Cd compared with the levels of industrial polluted sites of Bangladesh. The atmospheric PM analysis showed the presence of Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb metals. The EF showed the anthropogenic origin of Mn and Ni in the atmospheric PM. The statistical correlation (r < 0.0001) of soil and plant heavy metals showed the possibility of transfer of metals from soil to plant which will cause the increase of pollution intensity. Overall, this agricultural region became an intermediate pollution zone. This study will help the decision-maker become conscious of heavy metal pollution in the suburban regions to monitor agricultural lands from anthropogenic pollution.

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Acknowledgments

The data collection and chemical analysis part of this research completed with the support of  the Department of Soil, Water, and Environment, and the Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and data interpretation and drafting of the manuscript was done at the Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, USA. We are thankful to both University of Dhaka and Mississippi State University for allowing us to perform this research work and giving us access to the Technical and Analytical Laboratory facilities. The authors also thank the Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences (CARs), the University of Dhaka, for helping with chemical analysis. The authors are also thankful to the unknown reviewers for the valuable comments and suggestions.

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  1. Department of Geosciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, 39762, USA

    Sadia Alam Shammi

  2. Department of Soil, Water and Environment, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Sadia Alam Shammi & Md. Akhter Hossain Khan

  3. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh

    Abdus Salam

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Shammi, S.A., Salam, A. & Khan, M.A.H. Assessment of heavy metal pollution in the agricultural soils, plants, and in the atmospheric particulate matter of a suburban industrial region in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Environ Monit Assess 193, 104 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-08848-y

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