Comparative study of some physicochemical parameters of soil irrigated with sewage water and canal water of Dehradun city, India

In the present study the effect of sewage water and canal water irrigation were compared by their physicochemical properties and heavy metals concentration in soil. The mean values of different physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals were : Bulk density (gm/cm3) 1.26, Water holding capacity(%)-53.60, Temperature(oC)-16.33, Electrical conductivity (dsm-1)- 0.122, pH-7.5, Organic carbon (%)-1.95, Available phosphorous(mg/kg)-108.44, Available potassium (mg/kg)-121.66, Nitrogen(%)-2.22, Available Calcium (%)-2.18, Available Magnesium (%)-0.09 and heavy metal concentration in soil were Pb-52.72, Cu-49.03, Zn-264.09 and Cd-24.66 in sewage water irrigated soil. The observed concentration of Pb, Cu, Zn was below the Indian standards except Cd. The Enrichment factors calculated for sewage water irrigated soil in Pb (3.79), Zn (4.12), Cu (3.12) and Cd (2.21) were moderate enrichment while pollution index values in the samples were calculated to be lower than permissible pollution limit of 1.0.