## 3 Results and Discussion
### Index of Geoaccumulation  
Average \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) and contamination levels of different metals in soil are given in Table 6 while Figure 7 representsthe sampling point wise \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) value in two seasons. \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) is distinctly variable and suggests that soil around the DEPZ ranged from uncontaminated to strongly/extremely contaminated with respect to the analyzed metals. \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) revealed that all the samples examined in both seasons in respect of Fe and Mn fell into class 0\(-\)uncontaminated. In the case of As in the dry season, 18 sampling points fell in class 4 and the average \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) was 3.23 indicating strongly contaminated. During the wet season \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) for As belong to moderately/strongly contaminated. This high index is caused mainly by the metallurgical industry; hence its content in the areas affected by industrial activity may be elevated. \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) values for Cu in the dry season ranged from \(-\)2.74 to 1.28 with a mean value of 0.31 and most of the samples in both seasons fell into class 1 of uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) of Zn in the dry and wet season was 0.19 and 0.07, respectively and belongs to \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) class 1. In the wet season, Cr showed an uncontaminated state, but uncontaminated/moderately contaminated in the dry season. A similar trend to Cr was also found for Pb, but different for Cd. Ni followed uncontaminated/moderately contaminated index over two seasons. \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) of Hg in the dry season ranged from 2.7 to 3.98 and the value was 0 to 4.85 in the wet season. Figure 8 shows overall statistics of \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) over two seasons. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l|l l|c l} \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Dry Season**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Wet Season**} \\ \hline  & \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) & \multicolumn{1}{c|}{**Value**} & \multicolumn{1}{c|}{**Contamination Level**} & \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Value**} \\ \hline Fe & \(-\)0.37 & Uncontaminated & \(-\)1.09 & Uncontaminated \\ As & 3.23 & Strongly contaminated & 2.16 & Moderately/strongly contaminated \\ Mn & 0.61 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated & \(-\)0.66 & Uncontaminated \\ Cu & 0.31 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated & 0.24 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated \\ Zn & 0.19 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated & 0.07 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated \\ Cr & 0.08 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated & \(-\)0.45 & Uncontaminated \\ Pb & 0.06 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated & \(-\)0.19 & Uncontaminated \\ Hg & 3.08 & Strongly contaminated & 2.09 & Moderately/strongly contaminated \\ Ni & 0.19 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated & 0.05 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated \\ Cd & \(-\)0.03 & Uncontaminated & 0.53 & Uncontaminated/moderately contaminated \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 6: Average \(\mathrm{I_{geo}}\) and contamination levels of soil in two seasons. Figure 8: Statistics of I\({}_{\rm geo}\) of soil in (**a**) dry and (**b**) wet season. Figure 7: Representation of I\({}_{\rm geo}\) of metals at different sampling points and seasons. Contamination Factor, Degree of Contamination, Modified Degree of Contamination and Pollution Load Index  
The assessment of the overall contamination of the studied agricultural soil was based on \(\mathrm{C_{f}^{i}}\). In the dry season, the soil was classified as slightly contaminated with Fe, Mn and Cd, moderately contaminated with Zn, Cr, Pb and Ni, considerably contaminated with Cu and highly contaminated with As and Hg. In the wet season except for Cu and Cd, the contamination factor of all other metals decreased. However, there was a very limited change in the overall scenario. Cr was additionally added to the first category, Cd shifted from a slightly contamination to moderately contamination factor and Cu fell into the highly contaminated group.