Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
Environ Monit Assess. 2010 Jul;166(1-4):303-12. doi: 10.1007/s10661-009-1003-9. Epub 2009 May 30.
In order to study the distribution, correlation, and apportionment of selected metals, the tannery effluent, related soil, and groundwater samples were collected from Multan, Pakistan, and analyzed on flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Among the selected metals, Na, Ca, K, Cr, and Mg revealed dominant concentrations with average values of 5,499, 945, 565, 209, and 107 mg/L and 2,634, 330, 484, 14.1, and 60.5 mg/L in the effluents and groundwater, respectively, whereas the mean metal levels in soil samples were 10,026, 6,726, 9,242, 476, and 9,857 mg/kg. Overall, the mean metal concentrations in the tannery effluents, groundwater, and related soils reveal following order, respectively: Na > Ca > K > Cr > Mg > Ni > Fe > Zn > Co > Pb > Mn > Cd; Na > K > Ca > Mg > Cr > Zn > Ni > Pb > Fe > Co > Mn > Cd; Na > Mg > K > Ca > Cr > Co > Ni > Fe > Pb > Mn > Zn > Cd. Generally, the metal distribution in tannery effluents, soils, and groundwater was found to be random as evidenced by large differences between mean and median values as well as considerably higher standard deviation and skewness values. The selected metal data were also subjected to correlation study to investigate the covariation of metal levels in the three media. The source apportionment of the metal data in the effluents, soils, and groundwater was carried out using principal component analysis in addition to basic statistical and correlation analyses. The source apportionment studies evidenced the gross contamination of groundwater and soils in the vicinity of tanning industrial units in Multan. The current mean metal levels in the soil and groundwater were found to be considerably higher compared with the background concentration levels and WHO guideline values.
为了研究选定金属的分布、相关性和分配情况，从巴基斯坦木尔坦采集了制革厂废水、相关土壤和地下水样本，并在火焰原子吸收分光光度计上进行了分析。在所选择的金属中，Na、Ca、K、Cr 和 Mg 表现出较高的浓度，其平均值分别为 5499、945、565、209 和 107mg/L 和 2634、330、484、14.1 和 60.5mg/L，在废水和地下水中；而土壤样本中的平均金属水平分别为 10026、6726、9242、476 和 9857mg/kg。总体而言，制革厂废水、地下水和相关土壤中的平均金属浓度分别显示出以下顺序：Na＞Ca＞K＞Cr＞Mg＞Ni＞Fe＞Zn＞Co＞Pb＞Mn＞Cd；Na＞K＞Ca＞Mg＞Cr＞Zn＞Ni＞Pb＞Fe＞Co＞Mn＞Cd；Na＞Mg＞K＞Ca＞Cr＞Co＞Ni＞Fe＞Pb＞Mn＞Zn＞Cd。通常，制革厂废水、土壤和地下水中的金属分布被认为是随机的，这可以从平均值和中位数之间的巨大差异以及较高的标准差和偏度值得到证明。还对选定金属数据进行了相关性研究，以调查三种介质中金属水平的变化。此外，还进行了基本统计和相关性分析以及主成分分析，对废水、土壤和地下水中金属数据的来源分配进行了研究。来源分配研究证明了木尔坦制革工业单位附近地下水和土壤的严重污染。目前土壤和地下水中的金属平均水平与背景浓度水平和世界卫生组织指导值相比明显较高。
