Analysis of Advantages of Gold (Au) Wash Solution for Chemical Analysis of Soil and Water Samples in Sundarbans by IPC-MS

Abstract

The Sundarbans is the largest, biologically richest, and most extensive mangrove forest in the world. Heritiera fomes (Sundri) tree is the most important ecologically dominant and economically valuable tree species in the Sundarbans. However, a serious disease (top dying) of H. fomes in Sundarbans is affecting millions of the trees. The loss of H. fomes will have a major impact on the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, as well as lead to economic losses. Despite various hypotheses as to the causes of this top-dying, the underlying causes are still not well understood. The present work has explored some of the possible factors involved, focusing particularly on the relationship between the amount of top-dying in different places and the concentrations of a number of chemical elements present in the soil and water, in order to test the hypothesis that chemical pollution might be responsible. Nine plots were selected for sampling of soil, water, and vegetation in order to categorize different areas in terms of their intensity of top-dying. 63 soil samples and 9 water samples were tested, mainly by ICPMS, to investigate certain parameters of the soil and water, such as Sn, Exchangeable K, Soil pH, Pb, Zn, Ni, soil pH, CEC, soil nutrients, soil moisture content, and elemental concentrations of 32 other elements. Most of the elements studied had no significant correlation with the top dying of Heritiera fomes. However, Sn, Exchangeable K, and soil pH were significantly related, and three elements, namely Pb, Zn, Ni, were also close to significance. Sn concentration is negatively associated with top dying. Soil pH varied significantly in the different plots. Exchangeable K was positively associated with the tree diameter whether the top dying was severe or mild. Of the hypotheses previously put forward to explain top-dying, the present results do not support enhanced salinity as the cause. It is likely that several of the above-mentioned environmental factors interact with each other to induce top dying in Sundri. However, the present results have showed that Sn, Exchangeable K, soil pH, Pb , Zn and Ni could be directly linked with top-dying of Heritiera fomes (Sundri) in Sundarbans, probably particularly by weakening the vigor of the trees and allowing other factors such as pathological agents to attack the plants.