IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL EFFUENT ON SOIL ENZYNATIC ACTIVITY

Abstract

The aim of study was to investigate impact of industrial effluents on soil urease activity and their correlation with metal contamination in soils. The effects of Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb on soil urease activity was also reviewed with physiochemical properties likesoil texture,pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity, organic content in which the urease activity dependent on decreasing order of heavy metal Zn>Pb>Cu>Cd. For determination of effect of only paper mill effluent on soil urease activity. In this set of experiments garden soil which was supposed to be unaffected with the exposure of paper mill effluent in any form was analyzed. . Three pots A, B and C been setup for study. This soil was used as the control and in other two pots same soil were used. Pot B enriched with diluted paper mill effluent in 1:1 ratio and in another pot C paper mill effluent without any dilution was added in fixed quantity of 250 ml per day dose and was analyzed for 6 weeks. Laboratory experiments in simulated conditions and supportive literature shows the rapid decline of soil urease activity when soil is enriched with the paper mill effluent. There was slight change in the texture of soil, high clay and silt content was observed. The urease activity show gradually increase with the addition of effluent. Increase in overall conductivity of the soil, sinking of heavy metal, presence of calcitrant organic pollutants in top layer of soil, decrease in porosity of soil etc. are some of the changes which may alter the soil quality and fertility up to a greater extant. These changes are highly co-related in terms of reduction in bio chemical properties of soil.