Monitoring of Heavy Metals in Surface and Ground Water Sources Under Different Land Uses in Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Investigations were carried out on analysis of water samples for heavy metals viz. Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Iron and Zinc from surface and ground water from 39 sampling sites under different land uses (agriculture, forest and urban) during different seasons (rainy, winter and summer) in adjoining to Kandaghat town of Solan District of Himachal Pradesh, India. This study had been carried out from 2011–2012 in order to elucidate the fate of heavy metals in surface and ground water. The maximum As (0.39 ppb), Cd (0.07 ppb), Pb (0.66 ppb), Fe (0.03 ppb) and Zn (0.09 ppb) of surface water was recorded under urban land use. Maximum As (0.25 ppb), Cd (0.06 ppb), Pb (0.59 ppb) and Fe (0.03 ppb) of surface water was recorded during summer season whereas Zn (0.06 ppb) was recorded during rainy season. In ground water, maximum Cd (0.06 ppb), Pb (0.02 ppb) and Fe (0.03 ppb) was recorded under urban land use, whereas As (0.15 ppb), Pb (0.02 ppb) and Zn (0.15 ppb) were recorded under agriculture land use. Maximum Cd (0.06 ppb) and Fe (0.03 ppb) of ground water were recorded during summer season, whereas As (0.06 ppb), Pb (0.02 ppb) and Zn (0.15 ppb) were maximum during rainy season.

Five heavy metals were detected in water samples by ICAP-6300 DUO

Heavy metals concentration varied seasonally under selected land uses

In general, the results of the present study have shown that values of heavy metal are with in the maximum admissible limits of Bureau of Indian Standards.