ESTIMATION OF LEAD LEVEL IN THE SOIL OF NAMAKKALDISTRICT, TAMIL NADUR. Yogeswari, A. Arivuchelvan, S. Murugasen, G.A. Balasubramaniam,P. Selvaraj, A. Jagadeeswaran and A. RajaAbstract Lead is a most common anthropogenic environmental contaminants and non-biodegradable toxic heavymetal, causing major environmental health problems. It bio-accumulates through food chain and this cancause hazardous effects on livestock and human health. Hence in this study, lead level in 6 soil samples ineach block (15 blocks) of Namakkal district were estimated and mapped. The sampling sites were thepoultry farms, selected based on Systematic Random sampling. The soil samples (4 g) were digested in themicrowave digester, and the lead level was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer(AAS, Model 3030, Perkin - Elmer, USA). Namakkal District map was characterized by large scale detail.ArcGIS 10.1, geographic information system (GIS) software was used for compiling and analysing geographicdata using maps. All the soil samples have the lead concentration within the permissible limit, between6.40 ± 0.55 and 15.52 ± 2.21 and within that level Kollimalai block showed significantly (P< 0.01) higherconcentration of lead, 15.52 ± 2.21 when compared to all blocks except Tiruchengodu and Kabilarmalaiblock. As the soil in the hilly area strongly accumulates lead, the soil in Kollimalai area might have higherconcentration of lead when compared to other blocks. Further Tiruchengodu and Kabilarmalai blocks,which stand next to Kollimalai, are also associated with mountain regions. Hence the backyard rearedbirds at the hilly areas may bio-accumulate lead and can act as a source of lead to the humans. |