Study of the toxicity of metal contamination in soil samples collected from abandoned e-waste burning sites in Moradabad, India

The present study investigates the concentration of heavy metals in the soils of Moradabad, famous for manufacturing brassware, in the vicinity of the abandoned sites of e-waste burning and industrial waste. Government of India has strengthened enforcement to impede such activity, however, heavy metal remains in the abandoned e-waste burning and industrial waste sites can still pose an ecological risk. Results indicate that the surface soil of the e-waste burning and acid leaching sites was still heavily contaminated with the heavy metals likes Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Ni, Cu and Fe originating from printed circuit board burning and recycling. Industrial waste has also affected the nearby areas, which have created potential threat to the environment. Samples were collected from the various contaminated sites, after the digestion process they were analysed by ICP-AAS. The excedance of metal contamination imposed negative impact to the environment and human health. Therefore, immediate remediation of the contaminated soil is necessary to prevent the dissemination of heavy metals and potential ecological disaster. © 2018 Technoscience Publications. All Rights Reserved.