THE TRANSPORT OF ELEMENTS FROM SOILS AROUND KAIGA TO THE KALI RIVER, SOUTHWEST COAST OF INDIA

The behaviour of alkali, alkaline earth and transition elements during weathering, their consequent delivery into the adjoining river system and their surficial and subsurficial distributions in the soils aroun d Kaiga, southwest coast of India, have been investigated. The mean co ncentrations of the elements studied are: Rb 50 ppm, Sr 31 ppm, Ba 156 ppm, Mn 1163 ppm, Pb 19 ppm, Cu 60 ppm, Zn 86 ppm, Co 32 ppm, Ni 108 ppm, Mo 1 ppm, Na 0.5%, K 0.9%, Mg 0.5%, Ca 0.4%, Fe 5.9% and Al 9.2%. The mean enrichment factors (EF) of Fe, Al, Mn, Cu, Co, Ni are > 1. T he rest of the elements have an EF of < 1. These data and the metal/Al ratios indicate that alkali and alkaline earth elements are mobile an d transported in the dissolved phase, whereas transition elements are predominantly present and transported in the particulate phase. All th e elements studied (except Pb and Mo) are depleted in the surface hori zon indicating their removal during soil erosional processes. Lead and Mo enrichment in surficial soils could be due to atmospheric input an d by the sequestering nature of the organic matter respectively. Geoac cumulation indices for the elements studied fall within the ranges pre scribed for unpolluted soils. This study has provided baseline data on metals in soils around Kaiga which will be the centre of industrial a ctivities in the years to come.