This document summarizes the results of several studies that measured heavy metal concentrations in soil, water, and plant samples from different locations. The studies analyzed the effects of heavy metals like cadmium, lead, chromium, nickel, and zinc on the growth of plants and microorganisms. The summaries include tables showing heavy metal concentrations found in samples and the effects on parameters like microbial survival, plant yield and growth.

1. Vinayak V Savanoor
2017A99M
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
Credit seminar

2.  Heavy metals : * Elements with density greater than 5 g cm-3
.
* Having atomic weight greater than 20.
* Capable of forming complex compounds.
*These are harmful because of their non
biodegradability.
 Spatial distribution : Arrangement of a phenomenon across the
Earths’ surface.
 Indicators : Composite set of measurable attributes signal the
desirable or undesirable changes that occurs in the
environment.
Introduction
2

3. 3
A. Sources heavy metals

4. Permissible limit of heavy metals
Heavy metal Soil
(mg kg-1
)
Plant
(mg kg-1
)
Sewage water
(mg L-1
)
Zn 2.9 20.0 <2.0
Cu 5.0 5.0 0.2
Pb 5.0 20.0 5.0
Cd 0.5 3.0 0.01
Ni 2.0 50.0 0.2
Co 2.0 5.0 0.05
Cr 2.0 1-2 0.2
4

5. CASE STUDIES
5

6. Metal Concentration
(μg/g)
Days after inoculation
0 7 14 21 28
Control (0) 4.55×106
8.25×105
7.7×105
11.9×104
62.5×103
Cd
100 4.12 6.90 7.7 8.50 Nil
150 4.50 5.05 5.15 5.55 Nil
200 3.68 3.85 4.30 3.70 Nil
Hg
100 3.8 6.75 6.50 29.0 Nil
150 3.76 4.00 0.79 10.0 Nil
200 4.23 0.92 0.54 Nil Nil
Ni
100 4.65 6.90 5.65 6.50 9.35
150 4.95 0.775 0.06 Nil Nil
200 4.65 0.665 0.05 Nil Nil
Pb
100 4.65 7.65 0.580 0.04 Nil
150 5.65 0.835 0.06 Nil Nil
200 4.85 0.007 Nil Nil Nil
J. Appl. Sci. Environ. Mgt.
6
Table: Survival of asymbiotic N2 fixing bacteria (CFU/g) in soil
amended with heavy metal under lab condition.
Ahmad et al, 2005(UP)

7. Metal Concentration
(μg/g)
Days after inoculation
0 7 14 21 28
Control (0) 5.54×106
5.65×106
8.35×105
4.75×104
9.66×103
Ni
50 5.35 4.35 6.55 4.85 Nil
100 4.95 5.65 6.50 5.50 Nil
150 5.30 4.85 6.50 0.48 Nil
200 5.23 4.25 4.75 0.68 Nil
Pb
50 4.95 5.75 4.25 0.43 Nil
100 5.45 4.25 5.50 0.45 Nil
150 4.54 0.46 0.068 Nil Nil
200 4.65 0.75 0.069 Nil Nil
J. Appl. Sci. Environ. Mgt.
7
Table: Survival of actinomycetes (CFU/g) in soil amended with
heavy metal under lab condition.
Ahmad et al, 2005

8. Treatment No. of grains
(plant-1
)
Grain weight
(g plant-1
)
Yield
(g m-2
)
T0 266.67 ± 10.68e
5.05 ± 0.27d
143.73 ± 73d
T1 406.33 ± 13.93d
8.07 ± 0.24c
229.49 ± 6.80c
T2 505.00 ± 13.65c
10.66 ± 0.27a
303.06 ± 7.75b
T3 674.67 ± 8.19b
11.38 ± 0.18ab
323.59 ± 0.08ab
T4 703.33 ± 13.87ab
11.82 ± 0.30a
336.18 ± 8.48a
T5 735.67 ± 9.39a
11.97 ± 0.09a
340.34 ± 2.62a
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 73:632–641 8
Table : Variations in yield parameters of rice plants grown at different
sewage sludge amendment rate (mean ± SE ).
T0 : unamended soil
T1 : 3 kg m-2
, T2 : 4.5 kg m-2
T3 : 6 kg m-2
, T4 : 9 kg m-2
T5 : 12 kg m-2
Singh and Agrawal, 2010
(Varanasi)

9. Treatment Root Stem Leaf Grain* Root Stem Leaf Grain*
Ni (mg kg-1
) Cd (mg kg-1
)
T0 7.02 1.05 2.73 0.43 2.37 1.07 1.93 0.38
T1 13.07 2.60 3.77 1.00 6.50 2.57 5.23 0.80
T2 15.22 4.40 4.97 1.37 10.43 4.30 7.03 1.32
T3 15.77 5.93 6.97 2.93 13.20 6.37 7.87 2.32
T4 17.55 6.60 7.80 5.90 15.82 9.67 10.13 5.27
T5 19.02 8.80 9.70 7.83 18.37 10.70 12.20 6.85
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 73:632–641
9
Table : Heavy metal concentration (Ni and Cd) in root, stem, leaf
and grains of rice plants grown at different SSA rates at 90 DAS.
Safe limit : Ni – 1.5 mg kg-1
Cd – 1.5 mg kg-1
SSA- sewage sludge amendment
Singh and Agrawal, 2010
(Varanasi)

10. Environmental and Experimental Botany 64 :135–144
10
Graph : Effect of Cr (VI) levels on nitrate reductase activity in leaves,
shoot, root and earhead of sorghum at different growth stages stages.
Kumar and Joshi
(2008), Hisar

11. Environment Monitory Assessment 11
Graph : Effect of chromium levels on the germination of wheat seeds.
Dotaniya et al, 2014
(IISS Bhopal)

12. Chromium level
(ppm)
Root elongation
(cm)
Coleoptile growth
(cm)
0 24.8a
9.6a
20 13.4b
6.1b
40 8.4c
4.4c
80 2.2d
3.6cd
100 1.1d
2.8d
Environment Monitory Assessment 12
Table : Effect of chromium stress on root elongation and shoot
growth of wheat.
Dotaniya et al, 2014 (Bhopal)

13. Location Cd Pb Cr Ni
Varthur tank Mean 0.033 0.075 0.289 0.039
SD 0.009 0.039 0.189 0.036
Bellandur tank Mean 0.039 0.065 0.291 0.042
SD 0.008 0.025 0.198 0.033
Byramangala
tank
Mean 0.022 0.059 0.311 0.04
SD 0.011 0.024 0.215 0.03
Nagavara tank Mean 0.014 0.039 0.12 0.027
SD 0.002 0.016 0.067 0.018
Borewell of
uncontaminated
site
Mean 0.002 BDL 0.015 0.0016
SD 0.0008 --- 0.007 0.0008
Safe limit* 0.01 0.5 0.1 0.2
19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World, Brisbane
13
*Source : Pescod, 1992 Varalakshmi and Ganeshmurthy,
2010 (IIHR)
Table : Heavy Metal Concentrations (mg/L) In different water
bodies of Bangalore.

14. Location Cd Pb Cr Ni
Near Varthur
tank
Mean 2.9 68.12 56.5 57.3
SD 0.7 18.7 14.64 19.9
Near Bellandur
tank
Mean 2.38 64.9 51.8 45.7
SD 0.67 12.5 13.4 14.5
Near
Byramangala
tank
Mean 2.06 55.02 92.78 46.1
SD 0.71 7.67 14.05 79.0
Near
Nagavara tank
Mean 1.92 47.04 35.08 48.2
SD 0.25 7.67 7.83 9.09
Uncontaminate
d field
Mean 0.9 39.6 34.2 34.9
SD 0.22 7.47 6.31 8.0
Safe limit* 1.6 – 3.0 90 – 300 100 – 120 48 - 75
19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World, Brisbane 14
*Source : Kabata and Pendias(1984) Varalakshmi and Ganeshmurthy,
2010 (IIHR)
Table : Heavy Metal Concentrations (mg/kg) In soils receiving
Sewage water from different water bodies in Bangalore.

15. Clean – Soil, Air, Water 15
* p < 0.05
** p < 0.01
Table : Changes in different yield parameters of chickpea under
different treatments of Fly Ash after 110 days.
Pandey et al, 2010 (UP)

16. International Journal of Plant Production 16
Graph : Effect of different conc. of Cd (A) and Pb (B) (μM) on soluble
protein content (mg/g fw) of B. juncea. at different developmental stages.
John et al, 2009 (IIT Delhi)

17. Study
sites
Statistical
parameter
Cd Pb Cr Cu Zn
Site 1
Average 0.93 26.3 63.3 22.7 180
S.D 0.20 1.9 5.2 1.9 4.6
Site 2
Average 2.67 51.2 32.7 18.1 164
S.D 1.16 26.6 12.1 0.6 2.4
Site 3
Average 3.42 70.5 15.5 18.6 162
S.D 0.15 3.5 2.8 1.2 6.3
Site 4
Average 4.13 84.6 13.2 16.3 151
S.D 0.24 5.9 0.9 0.9 4.3
Control
site
Average 0.81 32.9 40.9 17.2 134
S.D 0.08 1.6 4.8 0.5 5.4
Threshold
value
0.2 35.0 90.0 35.0 155.0
Journal of Hazardous Materials , 273; 165–173 17
Table : Concentration of heavy metals (mg/kg) in artificial soils on rock
cut slopes in vicinity of Suining Railway Station, Suining (China)
(Chen et al., 2014)

18. Distance
(m)
Statistical
parameter
Cd Pb Cr Cu Zn
1 Mean 1.24 26.7 21.5 18.8 165
S.D 0.10 2.3 2.8 3.3 5.7
5 Mean 3.84 85.4 28.2 18.0 163
S.D 0.16 6.4 3.2 2.2 6.0
10 Mean 2.92 42.0 48.3 17.6 164
S.D 0.18 8.1 4.1 2.4 5.9
15 Mean 2.32 46.6 64.3 18.4 168
S.D 0.08 3.8 6.4 3.6 8.5
25 Mean 1.35 37.5 23.3 16.0 150
S.D 0.10 4.1 3.5 2.3 6.2
50 Mean 0.82 35.7 27.8 16.6 138
S.D 0.10 3.3 3.8 0.47 5.6
Journal of Hazardous Materials , 273; 165–173
18
Table : Heavy metal concentrations in artificial soils at different
distances from railway tracks at site 2 (mg/kg).
(Chen et al., 2014)

19. Element Festuca
arundinacea
Indigofera
amblyantha
Leucaena
leucocephala
Robinia
pseudoacacia
Poa
annua
Medicago
sativa
Pb 0.36 0.21 <0.001 0.51 0.76 0.47
Cd <0.001 <0.001 0.25 <0.001 0.05 <0.001
Cr 0.52 3.10 0.40 0.90 1.99 20.95
Cu 0.81 0.46 0.79 0.77 1.16 <0.001
Zn 0.52 0.34 0.54 0.33 0.41 <0.001
Journal of Hazardous Materials , 273; 165–173 19
Table : Bioaccumulation factor of heavy metals in remediating
plants.
(Chen et al., 2014)

20. Element Festuca
arundinacea
Indigofera
amblyantha
Leucaena
leucocephala
Robinia
pseudoacacia
Poa
annua
Medicago
sativa
Pb <0.001 2.0 <0.001 0.5 0.33 <0.001
Cd <0.001 <0.001 3.34 <0.001 2.67 <0.001
Cr 4.94 0.14 12.97 <0.001 0.82 <0.001
Cu 0.84 1.13 0.92 0.45 0.68 <0.001
Zn 1.06 1.11 0.72 0.95 1.09 <0.001
Journal of Hazardous Materials , 273; 165–173
20
Table :Translocation factors of heavy metals in the remediating plants.
(Chen et al., 2014)

21. Samples Cu
(mg/kg)
Zn
(mg/kg)
Pb
(mg/kg)
Cd
(mg/kg)
Mine shore
sample
Mean 94.89 83.96 16.13 ---------
SD 1.324 2.538 6.647 ----------
Mine 2200
level spoil
Mean 1570.55 1064.39 451.612 3.490
SD 107.867 23.981 65.711 0.388
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 60 (2005);269–276 21
Table : Metal concentrations in samples of spoil from shore and
2200 level, Britannia Mine, British Columbia, Canada
No. of samples (n) = 10
Cd con. In samples is trace Wilson et al., 2005

22. Samples Cu
(mg/kg)
Zn
(mg/kg)
Pb
(mg/kg)
Cd
(mg/kg)
Mine
2700
spoil
Mean 407.052 220.362 650.812 -----
SD 24.966 11.709 45.831 -----
Mine
shore
Spruce
Mean ---- 12.669 ----- -----
SD ----- 1.183 ------ ------
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 60 (2005);269–276 22
No. of samples (n) = 10
Conc. Of Cd is trace (Wilson et al., 2005)
Table: Metal concentrations in samples of 2700 level spoil and spruce
leaves from shore at Britannia Mine, British Columbia, Canada

23. 23
(Martin et al,2006)
Graph : Root and shoot biomass of control and heavy metal-
treated plants from 5 different vegetable species, Switzerland.

24. 24
a. Phaseolus vulgaris b. Raphanus sativus
Leaf visible symptoms (A vs. B), after a 12 weeks exposure to
heavy metal contaminated soil.
(Martin et al,2006)

25. Conclusion
 Artificial soils of cut slopes adjacent to railway tracks were determined to be
contaminated with the heavy metals Pb and Cd.
 Cr (VI) at higher doses adversely affects the key enzymes of nitrogen
metabolism in forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.).
 Characteristic leaf symptoms were found in Raphanus and Phaseolus
associated with a reduced shoot:root biomass ratio and higher content of
heavy metal after exposing to heavy metal contaminated soil.
 Cr-containing effluents used as irrigation water caused drastic effects on
seed germination, root elongation, and coleoptile growth.
 Rice grown on Sewage Sludge Amended soil up to 4.5 kgm-2
for the
particular experimental soil as the plants not only showed high yield but also
showed higher heavy metal accumulation than permissible limits in edible
portion.
25

26. SYMBOL OF TRUST
26