Trace minerals pollution in south indian branded tea, and from the tea waste disposal sites

Abstract

We aim to quantify heavy metals in tea powders (packed and used), tea waste disposalsites and in the soil away from the site of disposal and to isolate the bacteria from both thesoil sample. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) analysis revealed chromium in thesamples collected from Thanjavur (0.12 mg/kg) and Tiruchirappalli (4.77 mg/kg). Thequantity of Copper was between 0.14 mg/kg and 0.97 mg/kg Namakkal and Erodesamples respectively. We also found trace levels of other heavy metals. The spatial mapdistribution patterns of selected Physico-chemical parameters like pH, EC, Alkalinity, Totalcarbon in the disposal sites were presented. Some of the metal-intolerant strains isolatedfrom the disposal sites became resistant. Further investigation would unravel the possiblemechanism behind Chromium reduction by the selected isolates.