GIS-based Soil and Groundwater Quality Assessment and Heavy Metal Contamination A Case Study of Industrial Sector of Islamabad

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.