Study of heavy metals transport in the vadose zone of contaminated soil

Abstract

Due to the anthropogenic activity, the soil environment is deteriorated by various organic and inorganic contaminants to a greater extent in Bangalore industrial area. The movement of heavy metals in soil is driven by various physical and chemical properties of the soil. This soil contamination leads to groundwater pollution through infiltration. In this study, an attempt is made to simulate the transport of heavy metals like nickel and zinc for one of the contaminated sites of Bangalore. The existing site contamination levels are used in the model to simulate the movement of nickel and zinc in the vadose zone of the soil. The simulation is carried out for 25 years to study the changes in nickel and zinc levels in infiltrated water considering the non-linear adsorption model. The simulation results help in identifying the vulnerability of groundwater borewells to these contaminants and in arriving suitable measures to prevent groundwater pollution.