STUDY OF PHYSICO -CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL IN SELECTED URBAN WASTE STORAGE SITES OF KERALA

Soil pollution is the contamination of soil by human and natural activities which may cause harmful effects on living organisms. Soil pollution mainly occurs due to industrial wastes, urban wastes, agricultural practices, radioactive pollutants etc. In the present study, the soil samples from three urban waste storage sites of Kerala- Vilappilsala, Brahmapuram and Njeliyanparambu were analyzed for physico-chemical properties (bulk density, texture, PH, electrical conductivity, available N, available P, available Ca and available Mg) and heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Cr and Pb). The soil bulk density was highest in site 3 and 4 (1.10g/cm3) and lowest was in site 2 (1.08g/cm3). Texture of the soil is clayey soil in site 3 and sandy clay loam in site 2 and site 4. pH range was high in site 4 (7.1) and lowest in site 3(4.3). Electrical conductivity was higher in site 4 (2.25 dsm-1) and lower was in site 3 (0.15 dsm-1). Results obtained showed that soils of the various locations are significantly different from one another in terms of physical and chemical properties. Zn was found to be higher than all the other elements. The concentration of the metal was higher than the control site as a result of anthropogenic activities.