Evaluation of the elemental distribution in soil samples collected from ship-breaking areas and an adjacent island

Ship-breaking yards in the world mostly reside along the coastal areas which possess diverse elemental contents due to the presence of heavy minerals. So to explain the heavy elemental enrichment of ship-breaking sites in terms of only anthropogenic contribution is insufficient. While studying elemental distribution of ship-breaking sites, choosing appropriate control sample is vital. To evaluate the elemental distribution in ship-breaking yards of Bangladesh and in an adjacent island (Sandwip), soil samples from each site and some heavy minerals have been analyzed for Na, K, Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, As, Sb, Cs, La, Ce, Sm, Hf and Th abundances by neutron activation analysis. For assessing elemental distribution, pollution load index (PLI), geo-accumulation index and inter-element correlation study were performed. Co-related…