Relationship between urban soil granulometric composition and microbiological and vermicular contamination
Zandybay A. Sagnaeva A. Kaliyeva S. Adilbektegy G. Narodkhan D. Daribay A. Mkilima T.
Winter 2026GJESM Publication
Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management
2026#12Issue 1281 - 296 pp.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Urban soils serve as important reservoirs for microbiological and helminthological contaminants, with their abundance and spatial distribution strongly influenced by soil physical properties, particularly clay content. Comprehending these relationships is vital for the management of public health risks in quickly urbanizing settings. This study seeks to explore the link between the granulometric makeup of soil and biological contamination in Astana, Kazakhstan, by integrating microbiological data with Geographic Information System based spatial analysis. METHODS: A total of 50 soil samples were collected from recreational areas, residential zones, and multi-storey residential districts with adjacent streets. Microbiological analyses quantified Escherichia coli, nitrifying bacteria, Clostridium perfringens, and thermophilic bacteria in Colony forming units per gram. Clay content fluctuated from 30 percent to 55 percent, and the analysis of contamination metrics was conducted in relation to soil texture. Using geographic information system version 3.2, microbial and helminthological data were georeferenced, interpolated, and combined with clay fraction layers through a weighted overlay model to generate a contamination risk index map highlighting spatial variability. FINDINGS: The results demonstrated a robust positive relationship between the amount of clay and both the abundance of microbes and the occurrence of helminths. Escherichia coli counts ranged from (1.0 ± 0.3) × 10³ colony forming units per gram in soils with 35–40 percent clay to (2.5 ± 0.6) × 10³ colony forming units per gram in 40–45 percent clay soils. Nitrifying bacteria reached up to 7.7 × 10³ colony forming units per gram in the same clay range, while Clostridium perfringens densities varied from 2.2 × 10² to 7.0 × 10² colony forming units per gram, peaking in moderately clayey soils. Thermophilic bacteria abundance increased sharply with clay content, from 10² colony forming units per gram in coarse soils to 1.7 × 10⁷ colony forming units per gram in soils with 45–50 percent clay. Helminth eggs were detected most frequently in soils containing 40–50 percent clay. CONCLUSION: The integration of microbiological, helminthological, and soil granulometric data within a Geographic Information System framework effectively characterized contamination patterns across the urban landscape of Astana. The study indicates that the texture of the soil, with a specific focus on clay content, significantly affects the distribution patterns of both microbial and helminth populations.
Clay fraction , Ecological monitoring , Helminth eggs , Microbiological contamination , Soil granulometry , Urban soils
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L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Astana International University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, The University of Dodoma, 1 Benjamin Mkapa Road, Dodoma, Iyumbu, 41218, Tanzania
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
Astana International University
Department of Environmental Engineering and Management
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