Md Maroof Azam | Jawaharlal Nehru University (original) (raw)

Papers by Md Maroof Azam

Soil is one of the most valuable resources, and acts as a habitat for soil dwelling organisms and... more Soil is one of the most valuable resources, and acts as a habitat for soil dwelling organisms and a medium for plant growth. Anthropogenic climate change has jeopardized the global soil resources and has put at risk the crop productivity. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is one of the most extensive fluvial plain in the world and sustains millions of people. Considering the importance of alluvial soils of the Indo-Gangetic plain, the present study was undertaken to understand the extent of weathering, elemental geochemistry and the present environmental status of alluvial soils of Kukrail Reserve Forest (KRF), Lucknow. Ten sites were chosen to collect 26 soil samples at different depths from each site. Apart from geochemical and mineralogical analysis, general soil chemical properties like pH, electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), percent base saturation (PBS) and soil organic matter (SOM) were analysed. Grain size analysis suggests that the soil samples consist mainly of silt. Minerals identified were quartz, feldspar, calcite, dolomite, muscovite, microcline, oligoclase and chlorite/kaolinite. Major and trace element geochemistry data of the soil samples show similarity with the upper continental crust (UCC), except for the depletion in some mobile elements like Ca, Mg and Sr, which were mobilized during weathering. Weathering is one of the most important processes that releases essential nutrients in the soil. Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) shows that the soil samples have gone through moderate chemical weathering having CIA values ranging from 64.8 to 73.9. On the basis of results of general soil tests, it could be inferred that these soil samples are slightly alkaline in nature with an average pH of 7.7. EC values (0.017 to 0.307 dS/m) of all soil samples lie in the safe category (0 to 2 dS/m). All samples lie in the safe range for plant growth in terms of CEC and PBS. SOM in the soil samples has an average value of 3.1%. It was observed that soil pH, CEC, CIA and clay mineral abundance show an increasing trend with depth at most of the sampling sites in Kukrail Reserve Forest. On the other hand, soil EC and soil organic matter shows a decreasing trend with depth in the majority of the sampling locations.

Sediment geochemistry is a powerful tool to investigate earth surface processes because sediments... more Sediment geochemistry is a powerful tool to investigate earth surface processes because sediments record geochemical signatures of their provenance, generation, transport, deposition, and environmental conditions. A significant advancement in the technology of analytical geochemistry has made geochemical analyses of sediments more rapid and precise, which together provided an impetus to the study of sediment system. As a result, high-quality research papers on sediment geochemistry have been published during the last five years from India. A foreseeable growth of research and an increase in the publication are likely in the future because of the new setups of state-of the-art analytical instruments for geochemical research at various research and academic institutions in India. Here we are presenting the published important work on sediment geochemistry under three categories, i.e., weathering, erosion, deposition and provenance determination; sediment geochemistry as palaeoclimate proxy; and environmental geochemistry.

In order to assess suitability for drinking, domestic and irrigation uses of water from 14 ponds ... more In order to assess suitability for drinking, domestic and irrigation uses of water from 14 ponds in the holy city of Varanasi, water samples were collected in February 2012 and analysed for their physico-chemical parameters. All the water samples fall in the fresh water category (TDS< 1000 mg/l). Cationic and anionic abundance was found to be in the order of Na + > Ca 2+ > K + > Mg 2+ and HCO 3-> Cl-> SO 4 2-> NO 3->F-, respectively. Gibbs diagram shows that all samples fall under dominantly rock weathering category. Main source of major and trace elements were identified as anthropogenic activities and carbonate rock weathering. In general, the water of most of the ponds of Varanasi city in terms of major ions and trace elements was found unfit for human consumption with a few exceptions. However, residual sodium carbonate (RSC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium hazard (MH) and percent sodium (%Na) values suggest that pond water of Varanasi city may be used for irrigation purpose. Based on safe levels of potentially toxic trace metals, we found that Mn was above the safe limit for cattle drinking purpose in seven of the collected samples.

Soil is one of the most valuable resources, and acts as a habitat for soil dwelling organisms and... more Soil is one of the most valuable resources, and acts as a habitat for soil dwelling organisms and a medium for plant growth. Anthropogenic climate change has jeopardized the global soil resources and has put at risk the crop productivity. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is one of the most extensive fluvial plain in the world and sustains millions of people. Considering the importance of alluvial soils of the Indo-Gangetic plain, the present study was undertaken to understand the extent of weathering, elemental geochemistry and the present environmental status of alluvial soils of Kukrail Reserve Forest (KRF), Lucknow. Ten sites were chosen to collect 26 soil samples at different depths from each site. Apart from geochemical and mineralogical analysis, general soil chemical properties like pH, electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), percent base saturation (PBS) and soil organic matter (SOM) were analysed. Grain size analysis suggests that the soil samples consist mainly of silt. Minerals identified were quartz, feldspar, calcite, dolomite, muscovite, microcline, oligoclase and chlorite/kaolinite. Major and trace element geochemistry data of the soil samples show similarity with the upper continental crust (UCC), except for the depletion in some mobile elements like Ca, Mg and Sr, which were mobilized during weathering. Weathering is one of the most important processes that releases essential nutrients in the soil. Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) shows that the soil samples have gone through moderate chemical weathering having CIA values ranging from 64.8 to 73.9. On the basis of results of general soil tests, it could be inferred that these soil samples are slightly alkaline in nature with an average pH of 7.7. EC values (0.017 to 0.307 dS/m) of all soil samples lie in the safe category (0 to 2 dS/m). All samples lie in the safe range for plant growth in terms of CEC and PBS. SOM in the soil samples has an average value of 3.1%. It was observed that soil pH, CEC, CIA and clay mineral abundance show an increasing trend with depth at most of the sampling sites in Kukrail Reserve Forest. On the other hand, soil EC and soil organic matter shows a decreasing trend with depth in the majority of the sampling locations.

Sediment geochemistry is a powerful tool to investigate earth surface processes because sediments... more Sediment geochemistry is a powerful tool to investigate earth surface processes because sediments record geochemical signatures of their provenance, generation, transport, deposition, and environmental conditions. A significant advancement in the technology of analytical geochemistry has made geochemical analyses of sediments more rapid and precise, which together provided an impetus to the study of sediment system. As a result, high-quality research papers on sediment geochemistry have been published during the last five years from India. A foreseeable growth of research and an increase in the publication are likely in the future because of the new setups of state-of the-art analytical instruments for geochemical research at various research and academic institutions in India. Here we are presenting the published important work on sediment geochemistry under three categories, i.e., weathering, erosion, deposition and provenance determination; sediment geochemistry as palaeoclimate proxy; and environmental geochemistry.

In order to assess suitability for drinking, domestic and irrigation uses of water from 14 ponds ... more In order to assess suitability for drinking, domestic and irrigation uses of water from 14 ponds in the holy city of Varanasi, water samples were collected in February 2012 and analysed for their physico-chemical parameters. All the water samples fall in the fresh water category (TDS< 1000 mg/l). Cationic and anionic abundance was found to be in the order of Na + > Ca 2+ > K + > Mg 2+ and HCO 3-> Cl-> SO 4 2-> NO 3->F-, respectively. Gibbs diagram shows that all samples fall under dominantly rock weathering category. Main source of major and trace elements were identified as anthropogenic activities and carbonate rock weathering. In general, the water of most of the ponds of Varanasi city in terms of major ions and trace elements was found unfit for human consumption with a few exceptions. However, residual sodium carbonate (RSC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium hazard (MH) and percent sodium (%Na) values suggest that pond water of Varanasi city may be used for irrigation purpose. Based on safe levels of potentially toxic trace metals, we found that Mn was above the safe limit for cattle drinking purpose in seven of the collected samples.