Heavy Metal Deposition in Freefall Atmospheric Dust Under Meteorological Observation in Industrial City, Kota, India, Having a Coal-fired Thermal Power Plant

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the concentrations of eight heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe, and Ca) in freefall atmospheric dustunder the influence of meteorological conditions. Dust samples were collected during the winter season, from November 2024 to February 2025,in and around Kota, Rajasthan. The mean concentrations (mg/L) of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe, and Ca were recorded as 4.3248, 0.7770, 1.5683,0.1130, 1.0517, 0.8899, 77.4911, and 1666.42, respectively. The results indicate that the concentration levels of these metals are significantlyaffected by prevailing meteorological conditions during the study period, although some variations were observed, likely due to fluctuationsin wind speed. Wind rose analysis revealed that sampling locations predominantly facing North-East and East wind blow (67.66%) from the Kota Thermal Power Plant exhibited the highest metal concentrations, as these sites are situated closest to the emission source. Furthermore,Pearson’s correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) suggest that Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr and Ni primarily originate from coal combustionprocesses at the Kota Thermal Power Plant, along with contributions from other industrial activities in the region.