Concentrations and relative availabilities of heavy metals in urban solid wastes of Hyderabad, India

This paper describes the heavy metal contents of urban solid wastes generated in Hyderabad, India. The iron content (total and DTPA-extractable) was higher than that of other metals. Wastes contained higher concentrations of all heavy metals than are normally found in agricultural soils. The Cd/Zn ratio ranged from 0•7 to 1•7. Among the heavy metals, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn were relatively more available than Mn, Co, Cd, Cr and Fe, which were least available.