An assessment of heavy metal contamination in old town and Gnanapuram of Visakhaptanam

摘要

The present study areas (Old town and Gnanapuram) have been severely threatened by the growing levels of heavy metal pollution due to the discharges from Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) and other industries in the vicinity. The anomalous concentrations of Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the vicinity of the study areas are of anthropogenic origin. The metal depletion in the soil samples are of EF1 was observed for most elements indispensable to the proper growth of plants. The low EF for Zinc in soils observed is deficiency to minimal enrichment may indicate soil depletion in this metal. It has been found that an increase in solubility under low pH conditions affects Zinc mobility. The overall degree of contamination observed in the Old Town area (28.14) is greater than the Gnanapuram area (26.47); observed to be of a very slight variation and these two areas were under considerable degree of contamination range.