Study of heavy metals concentration Copper, Zinc and Arsenic soil using RS and GIS techniques (Case study: Kaboudarahang, Razan and Khonjin- Talkhab catchment in Hamedan province)

Subject Areas : Geospatial systems development

Loghman Khodakarami ¹ , Alireza Soffianian ² , Elahe Mohamadi Towfigh ³ , Noorollah Mirghafari ⁴

1 - Graduated MSc. of Environmental, College of Natural Resource, Isfahan University of Technology
2 - Assis. Prof. College of Natural Resource, Isfahan University of Technology
3 - Assoc. Prof. College of Natural Resource, Isfahan University of Technology
4 - MSc. Student of Environmental, College of Natural Resource, Isfahan University of Technology

Received: 2013-09-05 Accepted : 2014-05-22 Published : 2014-10-23

Keywords:

Abstract :

In this study, we investigated the effect of agricultural land concentrations of heavy metals including Copper, Arsenic and Zinc and mapping of soil contamination potential the elements in the areas studied using the collected data, GIS, Geo-statistics and remote sensing were conducted. First, using 135 surface soils (0-20cm) classified random systematic sampling in the region area 7262 square kilometers were collected and total element concentrations, soil characteristics, including the pH and organic matters were measured. Interpolation for heavy metals concentrations were done by geo-statistics methods, and assisting location correlation analysis, interpolation suitable method was chosen using MAE and MBE function. For heavy metals concentration maps, Copper and Zinc, we used Ordinary Kriging and exponential model and for Arsenic Ordinary Kriging and Spherical models. For analyzing the metal's concentration distribution maps of pollution time series satellite images were used.  For this purpose, five time series of satellite images of IRSP6 sensor Awifs (6 March, 3 April, 27 April, 9 June, 18 July and 16 August) were prepared. Using conventional classification methods and advanced satellite imagery maps of Land Use in 2009 was prepared. Finally fuzzy classification method map due to having the higher kappa coefficient as a final land use map was selected. Site analysis of studied heavy metal interpolation maps assisted by GIS and remote sensing assistive showed that Copper and Zinc have geological and agricultural origins. And Arsenic has originated from bedrock, but agricultural activities according to excessive consumption of chemical fertilizers can increase most of these elements in soil.