Nutrients assessment of tropical soils around a mega cement factory in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Cement production is renowned for particulate contamination of the environment because of high dust emissions and heavy metals that later deposited in soils, serving as a sink. This study investigated the effect of cement dust pollution on some selected soil nutrients (phosphorous, protein, carbon and nitrogen) of the soil surface around Lafarge cement factory, Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria. Fifteen (15) composite topsoil samples of the soil surface were randomly collected in the eastern, western, and southern axes of the factory while control samples were collected 15 km from the factory. The samples were taken from a depth of 0 to 15 cm and analyzed for chemical, physical and microbiological properties. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and Duncan Multiple Range Test. The results showed that Total Organic Nitrogen (TON), Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Heavy Metals decreased with increasing distance from the cement factory while there was increase in the amount of Soil Protein and Soil Phosphorous. In conclusion, the inverse correlation between most of these heavy metals, the pH, and the activities of the soil nutrients are indicative that pollution caused by cement production exhibit a significant effect on soil nutrients and this may invariably affect the quality and condition of the soil of the area.