Table 1 Physicochemical and HM properties of soil in three different zones of Haridwar district, India.

From: Inclusion of key soil parameters in the modified contamination factor (MCF) model as a tool for assessing heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils

Property

Safe limit

Sampling area

K–W test (p-value)

Rural

Urban

Industrial

pH

6.5–8.5

7.10 ± 0.12 a

6.80 ± 0.15 b

6.30 ± 0.20 c

0.021*

OM (%)

 > 0.75#

2.50 ± 0.30 a

1.90 ± 0.25 b

1.20 ± 0.18 c

0.034*

CEC (cmol/kg)

 > 10

18.20 ± 1.75 a

15.70 ± 1.60 b

12.30 ± 1.45 c

0.049*

Cd (mg/kg)

 < 0.8

0.12 ± 0.03 a

0.29 ± 0.05 b

0.67 ± 0.08 c

0.003*

Cr (mg/kg)

 < 64

12.50 ± 1.90 a

33.80 ± 3.40 b

58.70 ± 4.20 c

0.001*

Cu (mg/kg)

 < 36

15.20 ± 1.35 a

24.10 ± 2.10 b

34.60 ± 2.75 c

0.006*

Co (mg/kg)

 < 20

4.10 ± 0.55 a

8.60 ± 0.90 b

14.20 ± 1.10 c

0.008*

Fe (mg/kg)

–

5123.00 ± 320.00 a

7981.00 ± 470.00 b

10,435.00 ± 610.00 c

0.017*

Mn (mg/kg)

 < 1500

476.00 ± 35.00 a

623.00 ± 40.00 b

899.00 ± 50.00 c

0.040*

Ni (mg/kg)

 < 35

11.30 ± 1.10 a

24.60 ± 2.00 b

32.80 ± 2.50 c

0.004*

Pb (mg/kg)

 < 85

9.60 ± 1.00 a

43.10 ± 3.50 b

79.50 ± 5.00 c

0.002*

Zn (mg/kg)

 < 300

35.20 ± 3.00 a

87.40 ± 5.50 b

188.30 ± 8.70 c

0.005*

  1. Values are mean followed by standard deviation of ten samples; source of safe limits: derived from40,41,42; #Adopted from ICAR43; *Kruskal–Wallis test (K–W test) indicates significant difference between sites at p < 0.05; The safe pH range of 6.5–8.5 was adopted from WHO and BIS guidelines, which define this interval as optimal for sustaining soil fertility, nutrient availability, and crop productivity.
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