STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF TRACE-ELEMENTS IN SOILS IN AND AROUND MYSORE CITY, KARNATAKA

Soil samples collected from various places in and around Mysore were analyzed for the total trace elements such as Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd. The results of the analysis indicate that the concentration of lead and cadmium in soils is below 2.5 mu g ml(-1) and 0.2 mu g ml(-1) respectively, which are the minimum detection levels, whereas the concentration of iron, manganese, copper, and zinc in most of the samples is within the global average ranges of 3%, 500-1000 mu g g(-1), 15-40 mu g g(-1), and 50-100 mu g g(-1), respectively. The investigated area has the presence of gneisses and schists, in which partly there are igneous intrusions and pegmatitic intrusions. There are amphibolite enclaves in gneisses that account for the higher concentration of trace elements. The lower concentration may be attributed to the presence of silicic type of rock.