Author(s)

Sharmin Sultana, Pradip Kumar Biswas^*, Aminur Rahman, Shanjida Sultana, Mohammad Nazim Zaman

Institute of Mining, Mineralogy and Metallurgy, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Khonjonpur, Joypurhat, Bangladesh.

This study is performed to know the contamination level of heavy metals on the surrounding agricultural soils at the site of Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Limited (BCMCL). Total concentrations of eight heavy metals (Cu, As, Cd, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni and Mn) were measured in that soil. To calculate the contamination level, the enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (I_geo) and Hakanson potential ecological risk index were done. I_geo values indicated that the study areas at all stations were suffering from moderate contamination with As. The results of enrichment factor revealed that soils in all stations were in extremely high enrichment condition by As metal. Under Hakanson potential ecological risk index, the contamination coefficient () and potential ecological risk index () were calculated. The degree of contamination at BCMCL area reflects moderate contamination. By considering the ecological risk index of a particular heavy metal, the order is as follows: Cd > As > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > Zn and Cd has the highest risk index and poses the greatest damage to the BCMCL area’s soil. EF, I_geo values and potential ecological risk index indicate that there is considerable As and Cd pollution, mainly caused by coal mine drainage water.

Barapukuria Coal Mine, Heavy Metal, Contamination Coefficient, Enrichment Factor, Geoaccumulation Index, Potential Ecological Risk Index

Sultana, S. , Biswas, P. , Rahman, A. , Sultana, S. and Zaman, M. (2016) Risk Factor Assessment of Coal Mine Drainage Water on Surrounding Agricultural Soil: A Case Study at Barapukuria in Bangladesh. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 4, 7-17. doi: 10.4236/gep.2016.42002.