Executive Summary : | Urban topsoil is a significant anthropogenic heavy metal sink, and continuous monitoring is necessary to identify sources of contamination, understand their dispersion, and assess potential risks to human health and ecosystems. Geochemical fractionation of heavy metals in soils and sediments significantly influences their toxicity, mobility, bioavailability, and geochemical behavior. Acid-exchangeable fractions, such as water-soluble, exchangeable, and carbonate bound metals, are easily discharged into the environment. Other fractions can be active or inactive based on the physical and chemical properties of soil or sediment. The proposed study aims to quantify heavy metal concentrations in urban topsoils of Jammu city, understand their mobility and bioavailability through geochemical fractionations, assess pollution levels and ecological risks using geo-accumulation index, contamination factor, and risk assessment code, and identify sources through multivariate statistical techniques. Sampling of urban topsoil samples will be conducted during pre and post-monsoon seasons, and processed samples will be analyzed for pH, total organic carbon, and organic matter using the Walkley-Black method. Geochemical fractionation of metals in topsoil samples will be carried out according to the m-BCR SEP, developed and validated by the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR). Microwave assisted digestion will be performed for bulk analysis, and extracts from each step will be analyzed for selected elements using Atomic Absorption. |