Evaluate the arsenic content in different soil types of Ambagarh Chowki block in Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh

Abstract

A micro level investigation was conducted in the As affected 10 villages of Ambagarh chowki block, Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh, to evaluate the As content in different soil types.. After analysing 100 samples of different soil types from different villages, it is revealed that during pre-monsoon season, in Vertisols, arsenic content varied from 3.92 to 7.63 mg kg-1 with mean value of 5.34 mg kg-1. In Alfisols, it varied from 3.70 to 6.58 mg kg-1 with mean value of 5.07 mg kg-1 and in Inceptisols, As content varied from 2.25 to 5.19 mg kg-1 with mean value of 4.13 mg kg-1. In post-monsoon season, in Vertisols, As content varied from 3.52 to 6.49 mg kg-1 with mean value of 4.88 mg kg-1. In Alfisols, it varied from 2.65 to 5.30 mg kg-1 with mean value of 4.46 mg kg-1 and in Inceptisols, As content varied from 1.90 to 4.87 mg kg-1 with mean value of 3.70 mg kg-1. In the soils of studied area, As content was below 10 mg kg-1, which is lower than the global average of soil As 10 mg kg-1 and also less than the soils permissible limit for As 20 mg kg-1 by environmental guideline. It was found that in Vertisols, the concentration of As was high as compared to Alfisols and Inceptisols. Seasonal variation in As content was also found and the concentration of As in soil during pre-monsoon season is higher than in post-monsoon season.