STATUS OF ZINC IN THE SOILS OF FARIDABAD DISTRICT, INDIAVandana Nandal and Manu SolankiAbstract Soil is the principal component of the ecosystem and contains minerals which are key required nutrients. Zinc (Zn) is one of such nutrients naturally present in soils at a concentration of 0.6-1.2ppm. However, various human activities have resulted in concentration variation. It has been speculated that these varied concentration leads to insufficient zinc in crops and estimated one third of the population is at risk of zinc deficiency, thus effectuating dire health implications such as impeding immune system and brain development. Zinc deficiency among the human population is prominently noticed among young kids. It affects them more as zinc deficiency impairs brain development and thus it can determine their early growth. Moreover one of the main dietary options is dairy products thus its necessary that fodder crops must contain enough zinc. Testing of soil for characterizing Zn availability provides information about concentration and soil conditions. The concentration of zinc in the soil is tested via Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). This technique is employed to test for the concentration of heavy metals present at low concentration. After the testing, the results indicate varied concentration and significant statistical difference among samples. The concentration of some soil samples was below critical limit, which points that those specific spots require zinc supplements to improve the deficit noted. |