HEAVY METAL IN WATER AND SOIL OF BYRAMANGALA AND HAROBELE COMMAND AREAS OF ARKAVATHI PERI URBAN AREAS OF BANGALORE CITYSUMA RANI S.N. AND NAGARAJ B.C.Abstract Arkavathi, a tributary of river Cauvery is facing a threat from urbanisation and industrialization since the last few decades. The concentration of heavy metals in surface and ground water and in the soil has been assessed. The water samples were collected from borewells in 5 villages each in both command areas. The seven heavy metals namely Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Fe and Zn were analysed. Nickel exceeds the permissible limits in all the surface and ground water samples from both the command areas. Similarly, Iron and Cadmium in Byramangala. Nickel, Iron and Cadmium in Harobele were found to exceed the permissible limits. Lead was found to be above the permissible limit in ground water sample of Chowkahalli village in Harobele command area, while was found to be absent in all the ground water samples of Byramangala command area. Zinc was found to be present but within the permissible limit in all the ground water samples and was absent in ground water sample of Igolhalli village of Harobele command area. Iron in all the ground water samples of Byramangala command area was found to be above the permissible limit, while it was found to exceed the limit in only ground water sample of Bendagudu village in Harobele command area. Chromium was found to exceed the permissible limits in all the ground water samples of both the command areas. Consequently, the order of heavy metals mean concentrations in soils in the soil samples of Byramangala command areas was found to be in the order- Fe >Ni > Zn > Cu> Pb> Cr >Cd, similarly, in Harobele command area the heavy metals were found in the order-Fe >Zn > Ni > Cu> Pb>Cd>Cr. |