Vol. 17 No. 1
Distribution and path analysis of arsenic in soil, water and rice in some affected blocks of lower Gangetic plain
Author(s): D. GHOSH, S. K. PAL, S. MAHANTA, P. U. ACHARJEE AND P. K. PATRA
Abstract: The present investigation was undertaken to study the distribution of arsenic in soil, in tube-well water used for irrigation, and in rice and the path analysis of available soil and rice grain arsenic in four arsenic affected blocks of Nadia district, West Bengal. About 51, 65.7, 59 and 70 per cent soil samples belonged to low (<5.0 mg kg-1) and 42, 29.3, 39 and 27 percent to medium (5.0-7.5 mgkg-1) arsenic category in Chakdah, Ranaghat II, Shantipur and Haringhata block, respectively. The average arsenic content in soils ranged from 4.54 to 5.37 mg kg-1, whereas that in tube-well water ranged from 151.43 to 213.71 μg L-1. Available phosphorus had the highest positive, while iron oxide had the highest negative direct effect on soil arsenic content. Arsenic content in rice shoot had the highest positive and leaf had the highest negative direct effect on grain arsenic content due to re-translocation of accumulated arsenic from leaf to grain during grain filling.
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