Level of Cd in different types of soil of Rohtak district and its bioremediation

Abstract

Soil samples were collected in the year 2013 and 2014 from different locations to study the comparative level of Cd in the soil samples. The concentration of cadmium in industrial, agricultural and roadside soils, depends on the amount of Cd present in the rocks from which the soils form, the amount added in the form of fertilizers, the amount added to soils from the vehicular exhaust and industrial waste. It is found that, on an average, industrial soil contains greater concentrations of Cd than either of agricultural and roadside soil. In the case of agricultural soil, the phosphorous fertilizer used soil contains an elevated level of Cd. Results also show that long-term use of fertilizers and industrial waste will increase the level of Cd in the surface soils. The study reveals that the topsoil in the study area is more polluted with Cd. The average concentration of Cd exceeds the guideline value, therefore, the soil of different sites is said to have an elevated level of Cd. Variation of Cd in the soil depends on several factors like pH of the soil and season. To check the remediation process, pre-cultured media was sprayed on the soil samples and it has been found that S. cerevisiae has the capability to remove Cd. When the pH of the soil was maintained at 5.5, it was observed that 65–82% of Cd2+ got removed within 30days.