Comparing Heavy Metal Pollution in Agricultural Field Located at the Industrial Complex with Calculation of Pollution Index

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution in agricultural field has been concerned because of crop safety. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate heavy metal pollution in agricultural field by comparing two groups. The first group (A) was agricultural field where no industrial complex is located within 2 km radius and the second group (B) was that industrial complex is located within 2 km radius. A total of 330 soil samples in Chungbok provinces of Korea. Heavy metal concentration was measured in both groups and pollution index was calculated based on measured heavy metal concentration and threshold value. Result showed that chemical properties of both groups were within optimum range of agricultural field set by national institute of agricultural science in Korea. Heavy metal concentration such as Cd and Pb was generally higher in group B compared to group A due to impact of industrial complex. However, concentration of As and Cu was higher in group A compared to B and we could assumed that abandoned mine located near at the sampling site in group A and over use of compost might be the source of higher heavy metal concentration in group A. Soil pollution index calculation showed that group B (0.21) was higher than group A (0.19) although no heavy metal species were exceeded threshold value in Korea. Among other chemical properties, soil organic matter and available phosphorus concentration were highly correlated with soil pollution index indicating that management of compost could be utilized to decrease heavy metal concentration in soil. Monitoring of heavy metal in agricultural field located near at the industrial complex.