Trace Elemental Characterization of Forest Soil Samples from Mulugu Region, Telangana, India Using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Technique
Abstract: Soil is an important component of forest ecosystems and serves as a reservoir for essential and trace elements that influence nutrient cycling, plant growth, and environmental quality. The present study demonstrates the elemental composition of soil from the Mulugu forest region, Mulugu District, Telangana, India, by using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analytical technique. Three soil samples (SS1, SS2, and SS3) collected within approximately a 1 km radius were analyzed for seven elements, namely V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn. The measured concentrations showed clear spatial variations among the sampling locations. Iron (Fe) exhibited the highest concentration, ranging from 29,486 to 38,590 ppm, followed by Manganese (Mn) (599.1-735.18 ppm), Zinc (Zn) (79.5-93.2 ppm), Vanadium (V) (75.6-96.5 ppm), Chromium (Cr) (69.2-83.36 ppm), Copper (Cu) (40.1-49.8 ppm), and Nickel (Ni) (34.5-43.5 ppm). Among the three sampling locations, SS1 consistently showed the highest concentration of all investigated elements, whereas SS3 exhibited the lowest concentrations. Comparison with standard certified reference values of NIST SRM 2587 showed that the mean concentrations of V, Mn, Fe, and Ni were approximately comparable to or higher than the corresponding reference values, whereas Cr, Cu, and Zn were lower. The results demonstrate measurable spatial variability in the elemental composition of the forest soils over a relatively small geographical area. The study provides baseline elemental information for soils of the Mulugu forest region and demonstrates the applicability of EDXRF for rapid multi-element soil characterization. The observed differences from the reference material should be interpreted as differences in elemental abundance rather than direct evidence of contamination, since NIST SRM 2587 is a reference material and not a site-specific environmental.
Keywords: Forest soil; Trace elements; EDXRF; Mulugu; Telangana; Soil elemental composition; nEXT software
How to Cite?: Dr. Dasari Sammaiah, "Trace Elemental Characterization of Forest Soil Samples from Mulugu Region, Telangana, India Using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Technique", Volume 14 Issue 9, September 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1589-1594, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR25927174459, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25927174459