RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 35 (4) December 2023, p. 616-625

GEOSTATISTICAL ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS AND NUTRIENTS AVAILABILITY IN SOIL OF OIL PALM PLANTATION AFFECTED BY BAUXITE MINING

MAZIDAH ZULKIFLI1; NUR SHUHADA MUHAMAD TAJUDIN1*; MOHD FUAD MISKON2; FIKRIAH FAUDZI2 and NURUL MAYZAITUL AZWA JAMALUDIN3

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21894/jopr.2022.0079
Received: 27 December 2021   Accepted: 6 October 2022   Published Online: 22 December 2022
ABSTRACT

This study describes the contamination of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb and Fe) and their effect on K, Ca and Mg availability in oil palm cultivated areas affected by bauxite mining activities using the combinations of geostatistic and geospatial analysis. A total of 64 soil samples were collected covering a total area of 420.21 ha by grid sampling technique. Spatial distributions of the heavy metals were determined using semivariogram and mapped using ArcGIS. The mean concentrations of Cu (138.94 ± 79.08 mg kg-1), Zn (233.55 ± 79.16 mg kg-1), Mn (847.88 ± 267.02) mg kg-1) and Fe (249 703.71 ± 101 408.72 mg kg-1) in this study were greater than the background values, the 95% ‘Investigation Levels’ determined for Malaysia soil and Dutch target values. Geoaccumulation index showed that the contamination was in the order of Fe> Cu>Pb>Zn> Mn. Semivariogram analysis of pH, Mn, Zn and Fe was aligned with the principal component analysis results, showing the contamination source originated from a similar identical source. In correlation to the nutrients, only Kex., was found to be affected by the contaminants. These results provide a useful basis for the related agencies in identifying hotspots for future rehabilitation programs.

KEYWORDS:


1 Department of Plant Science, Kulliyyah of Science,
International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM),
Kuantan 25200, Pahang, Malaysia.

2 Department of Marine Science, Kulliyyah of Science,
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM),
Kuantan 25200, Pahang, Malaysia.

3 Laboratory of Climate-Smart Food Crop Production,
Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security,
University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Malaysia.

* Corresponding author e-mail: nurshuhada@iium.edu.my