Abstract

Analysis of Physico Chemical Characteristics of Soil and SQI Around Municipal Solid Waste Dump yard in Vellore-Coimbatore Tamilnadu, India

Author(s): R N Uma, R Prem Sudha and K Murali

One of the most serious threats faced today by mankind is the pollution of our environment which includes soil pollution. Soil is an essential component for the survival of organisms. Due to rapid increase in population and industrialization there is an increase in solid waste generation and it is disposed by dumping on land. Proper municipal solid waste management is not practiced in Coimbatore, though several initiatives are taken by the corporation. Coimbatore Corporation collecting the municipal solid waste from 100 wards and dumping at Velllore dumpyard, which is 14 kms from the city. Many town panchayats and village panchayats in Coimbatore collects the solid waste from their wards and dump the min nearby open areas. Three municipal solid waste disposal sites were selected based on quantity of solid waste dumping in that location and close to the irrigation land. This paper deals with the study of polluted soil due to solid waste dumping in and around Coimbatore. A detailed investigation was made respect to area of solid waste dump, sampling of soil, characteristics of soil required for irrigation. The soil characteristics such as pH ,EC, MC, OM, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+ were estimated and related parameters such as SQI, SAR, CEC and ESP were also calculated. The characteristics study of soil samples from the above locations showed that the solid waste dump at these sites had changed the soil characteristics, which was within acceptable limits at certain places only.