Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals pollution in soils of Guwahati city, Assam, India.

Soil pollution in Guwahati city, Assam, India has become a major concern since the last few decades. To study the impact of automobile and industrial emission, distribution patterns of 16 different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and eight heavy metals were investigated in the soil samples collected from 15 different sites. Higher concentration of total PAHs and heavy metals was found in the industrial areas compared to the high traffic areas. Differences in the pollutants observed between the polluted and nonpolluted sites, endorse that anthropogenic activities are the major cause of soil contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]