Abstract:
The unchecked industrialization and exponential expansion in population in third world countries
have led to a grave issue of groundwater and soil pollution. These nations frequently need more effective
environmental protection policies; even when they have, they are rarely implemented. As a result,
hazardous industrial waste is routinely discharged into rivers, streams, and temporary disposal sites, posing
severe environmental and public health threats. Therefore, it is essential to determine the soil and
groundwater contamination levels in the industrial areas. The current study's objective were to investigate
the possible problems of soil and water pollution with heavy metals deposited from Steel and iron factories
in the I9 sector of Islamabad and their surrounding areas. The objectives of the current study were (a)
Groundwater and Soil quality assessment in terms of heavy metals and their vulnerability to pollution
using Pollution Indices, (b) Spatial distribution maps of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, and Cr) of the industrial
area of Islamabad. A total of 50 groundwater and soil samples were collected through random sampling.
The samples were taken to the laboratory to measure their physicochemical properties. The samples were
examined for Fe, Cr and Zn by ICP (inductively coupled plasma) optical emission spectrometry. Sample
points were located using Garmin GPS. A Geographical Information System(GIS) generated distribution
maps of water and soil quality parameters. The Water Quality Index (WQI) and Soil Quality Index (SQI)
were used to determine the acceptability of the water and soil for use, culminating in the construction of
index maps. The results showed that in most investigated sites, heavy metal concentrations were above the
permitted limits. Further analysis using correlation exploration revealed a strong positive association
between iron (Fe) and chromium in the soil and water samples, with a correlation coefficient of at least
0.38 (p<0.05). The worrisome levels of heavy metal pollution in the afflicted areas are brought home by
these findings, which highlight the urgent need for corrective measures.
