Abstract
Flood events around the globe have severely impaired the soil functioning resulting in compromised food security in several parts of the world. The current study was aimed to explore the impacts of floods on soil heavy metals and nutrients status at three locations; Tibbi Solgi (TS), Vinri Khosa (VK), and Noshehra West (NW-control) in the district Rajanpur of Punjab, Pakistan. TS and VK sites were under regular influence of flooding over the last many years, but no flood event was reported on NW site during the same tenure; hence, it served as control. Sampling was carried out before and after flooding on the experimental sites. Vegetation cover was monitored through remote sensing techniques. Results revealed varying effects of floods on soil heavy metals; Cd, Cr, Pb, and soil phosphorous and nitrates. Flood events increased the Cd while lowered Pb concentration at VK site; however, flooding did not influence the status of Cr in soil. Similar to the trend observed in case of Cd, soil phosphorous and nitrates were reduced after flood events. Correlation analyses of soil physicochemical properties with soil heavy metals and nutrients indicated that after flood events, soil texture and organic carbon content seem to be the major factors driving the shift in soil heavy metals and nutrient concentrations. Although pollution indices indicated a marginally low contamination levels, but as projected in empirical studies, regular flood events in the studied sites may contaminate the whole ecosystem rendering it unfit for agricultural productivity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adamo, P., Zampella, M., Gianfreda, L., Renella, G., Rutigliano, F. A., & Terribile, F. (2006). Impact of river overflowing on trace element contamination of volcanic soils in South Italy: Part I. Trace element speciation in relation to soil properties. Environmental Pollution, 144, 308–316.
Akpoveta, V. O., Osakwe, S. A., Ize-Iyamu, O. K., Medjor, W. O., & Egharevba, F. (2014). Post flooding effect on soil quality in Nigeria: the Asaba, Onitsha experience. Open Journal of Soil Science, 4, 72–80.
Atapattu, S. S., & Kodituwakku, D. C. (2009). Agriculture in South Asia and its implications on downstream health and sustainability: a review. Agricultural Water Management, 96, 361–373.
Baptista, N. J. A., Smith, B. J., & McAllister, J. J. (2000). Heavy metal concentrations in surface sediments in a nearshore environment, Jurujuba sound, Southeast Brazil. Environmental Pollution, 109, 1–9.
Benedetti, M. M. (2003). Controls on overbank deposition in the upper Mississippi River 56 (pp 271–290). Geomorphology.
Bernal, M. P., Clemente, R., & Walker, D. J. (2007). The role of organic amendments in the bioremediation of heavy metal-polluted soils. Environmental Research at the Leading Edge (pp 1–57).
Bunn, S. E., & Arthington, A. H. (2002). Basic principles and ecological consequences of altered flow regimes for aquatic biodiversity. Environmental Management, 30(4), 492–507.
Ciesielczuk, T., Grzegorz, K. G., Poluszyńska, J., & Kochanowska, K. (2014). Pollution of flooded arable soils with heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Water Air and Soil Pollution, 225, 2145.
Deng, A., Ye, C., & Liu, W. (2018). Spatial and seasonal patterns of nutrients and heavy metals in twenty-seven rivers draining into the South China Sea. Water, 10, 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/w10010050.
Douglas, M. M., Bunn, S. E., & Davies, P. M. (2005). River and wetland food webs in Australia’s wet–dry tropics: general principles and implications for management. Marine and Freshwater Research, 56(3), 329–342.
Downes, M. T. (1978). An improved hydrazine reduction method for the automated determination of low nitrate levels in freshwater. Water Research, 12(9), 673–675.
EM-DAT. The International Disaster Database. (2013). Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). Available at http://www.emdat.be/. Accessed on 13 May 2013.
Hakanson, L. (1980). Ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentological approach. Water Research, 14(5), 975–1001.
Harikumar, P. S., Nasir, U. P., & Mujeebu, R. M. P. (2009). Distribution of heavy metals in the core sediments of a tropical wetland system. International journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 6(2), 225–232.
Ho, K. C., & Hui, K. C. C. (2001). Chemical contamination of the east river (Dongjiang) and its implication on sustainable development in the Pear River delta. Environmental International, 26, 303–308.
Kalshetty, B. M., Giraddi, T. P., Sheth, R. C., & Kalashetti, M. B. (2012). River Krishna flood effects on soil properties of cultivated areas in Bagalkot District, Karnataka State. Global Journal Sciences of Frontier Research, 12(6-B).
Kingsford, R. T. (2000). Ecological impacts of dams, water diversions and river management on floodplain wetlands in Australia. Australian Ecology, 25(2), 109–127.
Lair, G. J., Zehetner, F., Fiebig, M., Gerzabek, M. H., van Gestel, C. A. M., Hein, T., Hohensinner, S., Hsu, P., Jones, K. C., Jordan, G., Koelmans, A. A., Poot, A., Slijkerman, D. M. E., Totsche, K. U., Bondar-Kunze, E., & Barth, J. A. C. (2009). How do long-term development and periodical changes of river–floodplain systems affect the fate of contaminants? Results from European rivers. Environmental Pollution, 157, 3336–3346.
Moodie, C. D., Smith, W. H., & McCreery, R. A. (1959). Laboratory manual of soil fertility Department of Agronomy (pp. 31–39). Pullman: State College of Washington.
Muhammad, S., Shah, M. T., & Khan, S. (2011). Heavy metal concentrations in soil and wild plants growing around Pb–Zn sulfide terrain in the Kohistan region, northern Pakistan. Microchemical Journal, 99, 67–75.
Nelson, D. W., & Sommers, L. (1982). Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties (pp. 539–579).
O'Connor, J. E., & Costa, J. E. (2004). The world’s largest floods, past and present: their causes and magnitudes (Vol. 1254). Reston: US Geological Survey.
Oxley, M. (2010). Pakistan floods: preventing future catastrophic flood disasters. Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (30th September 2010). https://www.preventionweb.net/files/15697_01.10.101.pdf
Priju, C. P., & Narayana, A. C. (2007). Heavy and trace metals in Vembanad lake sediments. International Journal of Environmental Resources, 1(4), 280–289.
Rakesh Sharma, M. S., & Raju, N. S. (2013). Correlation of heavy metal contamination with soil properties of industrial areas of Mysore, Karnataka, India by cluster analysis. International Research Journal of Environment Science, 2(10), 22–27.
Rastmanesh, F., Safaie, S., Zarasvandi, A. R., & Edraki, M. (2018). Heavy metal enrichment and ecological risk assessment of surface sediments in Khorramabad River, West Iran. Environmental Monitoring Assessment, 190, 273.
Rayment, G. E., & Higginson, F. R. (1992). Australian laboratory handbook of soil and water chemical methods. Melbourne: Inkata Press Pty Ltd..
Saint-Laurent, D., Paradis, R., Drouin, A., & Gervais-Beaulac, V. (2016). Impacts of floods on organic carbon concentrations in alluvial soils along hydrological gradients using a digital elevation model (DEM). Water, 8, 208. https://doi.org/10.3390/w8050208.
Shabir, O. (2013). A summary case report on the health impacts and response to the Pakistan floods of 2010. PLOS Currents Disasters. Edition 1. https://doi.org/10.1371/currents.dis.cc7bd532ce252c1b740c39a2a827993f.
Steiger, J., Gurnell, A. M., Ergenzinger, P., & Snelder, D. (2001). Sedimentation in the riparian zone of an incising river. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 26(1), 91–108.
Tahir, P. (2007). Disaster studies in Pakistan: a social science perspective. The 17th Biennial General Conference of AASSREC – Nagoya University, Japan, September 27–30.
Thoms, M. C., Parker, C. R., & Simons, M. (2000). The dispersal and storage of trace metals in the Hawkesbury River valley. In S. Brizga & B. Finlayson (Eds.), River management: The Australasian experience (pp. 197–219). Chichester: Wiley.
Torri, S. I., & Corrêa, R. S. (2012). Downward movement of potentially toxic elements in biosolids amended soils. Applied and Environmental Soil Science, 145724, 1–7.
Ubuoh, E. A., Uka, A., & Egbe, C. (2016). Effects of flooding on soil quality in Abakaliki agro-ecological zone of south-eastern state, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology Research, 1(3), 20–32.
United Nations Development Program, (2016). Vulnerability of Pakistan’s water sector to the impacts of climate change; identification of gaps and recommendations for actions (pp. 149).
Van der Lee, G. E. M., Olde Venterink, H., & Asselman, N. E. M. (2004). Nutrient retention in floodplains of the Rhine distributaries in the Netherlands. River Research and Applications, 20(3), 315–325.
Verhoeven, J. T. A., Arheimer, B., Yin, C., & Hefting, M. M. (2006). Regional and global concerns over wetlands and water quality. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 21, 96–103.
Vink, R., & Behrendt, H. (2002). Heavy metal transport in large river systems: heavy metal emissions and loads in the Rhine and Elbe river basins. Hydrological Processes, 16, 3227–3244.
Waseem, A., Arshad, J., Iqbal, F., Sajjad, A., Mehmood, Z., & Murtaza, G. (2014). Pollution status of Pakistan: a retrospective review on heavy metal contamination of water, soil, and vegetables. BioMed Research International, 813206, 29.
Watanabe, F. S., & Olsen, S. R. (1965). Test of an ascorbic acid method for determining phosphorus in water and NaHCO3 extracts from soil. Soil Science Society of American Journal, 29(6), 677–678.
Wuana, R. A., & Okieimen, F. E. (2011). Heavy metals in contaminated soils: a review of sources, chemistry, risks and best available strategies for remediation. International Scholarly Research Network ISRN Ecology, 402647, 20. https://doi.org/10.5402/2011/402647.
WWAP (World Water Assessment Programme). (2006). Water: a shared responsibility: the United Nations world water development report 2 (chapter 5). In: Coastal and Freshwater Ecosystems. UNESCO/Berghahn Books, Paris.
Yin, Y., Impellitteri, C. A., You, S. J., & Allen, H. E. (2002). The importance of organic matter distribution and extract soil: solution ratio on the desorption of heavy metals from soils. The Science of the Total Environment, 287, 107–119.
Acknowledgements
The authors thankfully acknowledge the technical support by Mr. Siddique Ullah for remote sensing analyses of the study site.
Funding
This research work was supported by Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan through research grant no. NRPU20-3657/R&D/HEC/14/704 under the National Research Program for Universities.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hafeez, F., Zafar, N., Nazir, R. et al. Assessment of flood-induced changes in soil heavy metal and nutrient status in Rajanpur, Pakistan. Environ Monit Assess 191, 234 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7371-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7371-x