Enrichment and Translocation of Heavy Metals in Soil and Spinacea oleracea Grown in Sugar Mill Effluent Irrigated Soil

The present study revealed that there was an increase in the metal contents (Ni, +70.45 %), (Cd, +34.15 %), (Cr, +20.46 %), (Zn, +14.27 %) and (Fe, +2.39 %) of soil irrigated with sugar mill effluent (SME). The enrichment factor (EF) of the soil was in the order of Ni (3.38) > Cd (1.34) > Cr (1.21) > Zn (1.14) > Fe (1.02). In case of leaves and root of Spinacea oleracea grown in the SME irrigated soil, the maximum concentration of metallic contents of Zn (87.14 ± 3.77 mg/kg), Fe (246.14 ± 3.14 mg/kg), and Cr (28.87 ± 1.73 mg/kg) were found in leaves and that of Cd (16.32 ± 0.42 mg/kg) and Ni (62.29 ± 3.45 mg/kg) in root. The EF value was found maximum for Cd in comparison to other metals in case of the leaves (EF—2.18) and in root (EF—2.99) irrigated with SME. The translocation factor (TF) value was found maximum for Zn (TF—2.82) for the soil irrigated with SME in comparison to soil irrigated with bore well water. The study has shown that the SME can be a source of contamination to the soil as some toxic metals may also be translocated to roots and then to leaves in S. oleracea.