Spatial distribution of heavy metal abundance at distance gradients of roadside agricultural soil from the busiest highway in Bangladesh: A multi-index integration approach

Md Saydul Islam; Md Nur-E-Alam; Muhammad Anwar Iqbal; Md Badiuzzaman Khan; Shamim Al Mamun; Md Yunus Miah; Md Rasheduzzaman; S Appalasamy; Mohammed Abdus Salam

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.118551

Spatial distribution of heavy metal abundance at distance gradients of roadside agricultural soil from the busiest highway in Bangladesh: A multi-index integration approach

Environ Res. 2024 Feb 24:250:118551. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118551. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Md Saydul Islam¹, Md Nur-E-Alam¹, Muhammad Anwar Iqbal², Md Badiuzzaman Khan³, Shamim Al Mamun⁴, Md Yunus Miah⁵, Md Rasheduzzaman⁶, S Appalasamy⁷, Mohammed Abdus Salam⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh.
² Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
³ Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh.
⁴ Department of Environmental Science and Resource Management, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, 1902, Bangladesh.
⁵ Department of Soil Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, 1706, Bangladesh.
⁶ Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science & Technology University, Gopalganj, 8100, Bangladesh.
⁷ Institute of Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture (IFSSA), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600, Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia; Faculty of Earth Science, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Campus, 17600, Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia.
⁸ Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh. Electronic address: masalam.esdm@nstu.edu.bd.

PMID: 38408626
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118551

Abstract

Bangladesh is currently experiencing significant infrastructural development in road networking system through the construction or reconstruction of multiple roads and highways. Consequently, there is a rise in traffic intensity on roads and highways, along with a significant contamination of adjacent agricultural soils with heavy metals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ecological risk, health risk and the abundance of seven heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr, As, and Ni) in three distance gradients (0, 300, and 500 m) of agricultural soil along the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. The concentration of heavy metals was measured with an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) on a total of 36 soil samples that were taken from 12 different sampling sites. Based on the findings, Cd had a high contamination factor for all distance gradients, whereas Cr had a moderate contamination factor in 67% of the study areas. According to the Pollution Load Index (PLI), Cd, Cr, and Pb were the predominant pollutants. Principal component analysis (PCA) result shows these metals mainly came from anthropogenic sources. The considerable positive correlations between Cu-Pb, Cu-Cd, Pb-Cd, and Cr-Ni all pointed to shared anthropogenic origins. As per Potential Ecological Risk Assessment (PERI) analysis, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni each contribute significantly and pose a moderate threat. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values for all pathways of exposure to Pb and Cr in soils were more than 1, which would pose a significant risk to human health in the following order: THQ_{adult female} > THQ_{adult male} > THQ_children. This study will help to evaluate the human health risk and develop a better understanding of the heavy metal abundance scenario in the agricultural fields adjacent to this highway.

Keywords: Bangladesh; Dhaka-chattogram highway; Ecological risk assessment; Health risk assessment; Heavy metal abundance; Roadside agricultural soil.