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Biogeochemical study of termite mounds: a case study from Tummalapalle area of Andhra Pradesh, India

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 184, pages 2295–2306 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Termite mounds are abundant components of Tummalapalle area of uranium mineralization of Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The systematic research has been carried out on the application of termite mound sampling to mineral exploration in this region. The distribution of chemical elements Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr, Li, Rb, Sr, Ba, and U were studied both in termite soils and adjacent surface soils. Uranium accumulations were noticed in seven termite mounds ranging from 10 to 36 ppm. A biogeochemical parameter called “Biological Absorption Coefficient” of the termite mounds indicated the termite affected soils contained huge amounts of chemical elements than the adjacent soils.

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  1. Department of Geology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

    Nagaraju Arveti, S. Reginald, K. Sunil Kumar, V. Harinath & Y. Sreedhar

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  2. S. Reginald
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Arveti, N., Reginald, S., Kumar, K.S. et al. Biogeochemical study of termite mounds: a case study from Tummalapalle area of Andhra Pradesh, India. Environ Monit Assess 184, 2295–2306 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2118-3

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Keywords

  • Termite mound
  • Tummalapalle
  • Trace elements
  • Biological absorption coefficient