SOIL AND WATER CONTAMINATION BY ARSENIC FROM A TANNERY WASTE

The pollution of soil by arsenic contained in tannery waste is reporte d. Over 81 years of operation, a variety of arsenical compounds includ ing sodium arsenite were used as pesticides at the tannery, the arseni c finding its way to the site in question as liquid waste which was di sposed of either by burial or spray issigation. X-ray Fluorescence Spe ctrometry (XRF) was used to determine the levers of arsenic in the soi l. Concentrations recorded were comparable to those in soils polluted by agricultural use of arsenical pesticides or by contamination from m ining activities. In contrast to arsenic pollution from other sources however, contamination extends to a considerable depth through the soi l profile. Analysis of soil water by hydride generation atomic absorpt ion spectrometry showed evidence of arsenic movement through this medi um although penetration had not extended to the groundwater. Batch lea ching of soil samples with distilled water confirmed the potential mob ility of arsenic.