Multivariate analysis of trace metal levels in tannery effluents in relation to soil and water: A case study from Peshawar, Pakistan

Tannery effluents and relevant ground water and soil samples collected from various tanning industries of Peshawar were analyzed for Na, Ca, K, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn by the AAS method. The metal concentration data for the three media are reported in terms of basic statistical parameters, metal-to-metal correlations and linear regression analyses. Metal distributions in the three media were quite divergent and showed non-normal distributions with high standard deviation and skewness parameters. Sodium exhibited the highest mean levels of 1277 mg/L, 881 mg/L and 12912 mg/kg in the effluent, ground water and soil samples, respectively. Among other metals, Cr concentrations were 410 mg/L, 0.145 mg/L, 100 mg/kg and Ca, 278 mg/L, 64.8 mg/L, and 2285 mg/kg in the effluent, ground water and soil samples, respectively. Some significant correlations were observed between effluent and soils in terms of Na, Cr, Ni, Co and Pb. The ground water–soil interrelationship suggested that Na levels in the soil and ground water were significantly correlated with each other (r=0.486, P<0.01). Similarly, Cr in the soil is strongly correlated with Ca in ground water (r=0.486, P<0.01). These results were duly supported by the linear regression analysis of data. The source identification studies conducted using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) evidenced that ground water and soil were being contaminated by the toxic metals emanating from the tannery effluents.