FT-IR spectral studies on polluted soils from industrial area at Karaikal, Puducherry State, South India

• FT-IR spectra of 36 polluted soil samples were analysed.
• The chemical constituents of soil samples were identified.
• For analyzing the chemical composition of soil samples qualitatively as well as quantitatively.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) has been carried out to analyze the chemical composition of soil samples. The soil samples were collected from an industrial environment at Karaikal, Union Territory of Pondicherry, South India. The FT-IR results indicate that soils have different composition, i.e., namely kaolinite, quartz, montmorillonite, aragonite, hematite, feldspar and calcite, respectively. From the spectral pattern, the chemical compositions of soil samples were identified. The quantitative estimations of kaolinite (1032 cm−1 and 1634 cm−1), quartz (779 cm−1, 692 cm−1 and 464 cm−1), montmorillonite (3421 cm−1), organic material (2922 cm−1) and hematite (532 cm−1) were calculated using particular peaks of FT-IR studies spectrum. From the XRD pattern, the chemical compositions of soil samples were confirmed. In the study reveals that kaolinite and quartz minerals were predominant whereas montmorillonite and hematite are in moderate level, and organic materials are found in trace. Quantitative analyses of soils show that quartz (36%), kaolinite (34%), hematite (13%), montmorillonite (12%), illite (3%) and organic material (2%) are present in all the soil samples at various sites.

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