Assessment of macronutrient status, soil organic carbon, and the risk of heavy metal contamination in the soils of the Sundarbans polyhaline zone, Bangladesh.
AI interpretation is pending for this paper.
Open original publication →What the AI sees
Not AI summarized yet.
Research significance
Pending deeper interpretation.
Source abstract
This study evaluates soil geochemistry across 40 sites in the Sundarbans polyhaline zone, Bangladesh, characterizing physicochemical properties, macronutrient status, soil organic carbon (SOC), and heavy metal contamination. Soil pH ranged from 6.41 to 8.05, and electrical conductivity (25.27-40.57 dS/m) confirmed hyperhaline conditions driven by tidal and marine influence. Macronutrients exhibited high spatial variability (CV: 16-29%), reflecting tidal dynamics, vegetation gradients, and anthropogenic inputs. Heavy metal concentrations (Fe: 32,054.6 mg/kg; Ni: 72.8 mg/kg; Cd: 0.343 mg/kg; Mn: 616.5 mg/kg; Zn: 57.72 mg/kg) were assessed against established quality guidelines: Cd and Zn fell below TEL (CCME), while Ni exceeded TEL but remained below PEL, indicating occasional risk. Contamination indices (Igeo: unpolluted to moderately polluted; CF: 1 ≤ CF < 3; PLI > 1 in 25% of sites; RI < 95) collectively indicate low to moderate contamination status. The Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI = 1.03) further confirms a lightly polluted classification. Human health risk assessment via soil ingestion showed negligible non-carcinogenic risk (HI < 1 for adults and children) and negligible cancer risk (CR_Cd = 9.83 × 10-10). Principal Component Analysis (73.53% variance explained; KMO = 0.573; Bartlett's p < 0.001) delineated salinity-driven geochemical gradients and organic-metal interactions as dominant controlling factors. This study presents the first integrated geochemical baseline for the Sundarbans polyhaline zone, providing critical data for ecosystem monitoring, contamination risk management, and sustainable coastal governance.