Assessment of Potentially Toxic Element Accumulation and Pollution Indices in Soils Surrounding a Cement Manufacturing Facility in Obajana, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67601/njbls.v3i2b.88Keywords:
Heavy metals, Cement, Contamination, Enrichment, Soil qualityAbstract
Cement production can release dust and mineral elements into the surrounding environment, potentially affecting the quality of nearby soils. This study assessed the concentrations and contamination levels of Zn, Ca, Ba, Ni and Ti in soils around a cement manufacturing facility in Obajana, Kogi State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from four locations around the facility and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma oplical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentrations of Zn, Ca, Ba, Ni and Ti ranged from 194.33–286.28, 22,526.41–25,043.99, 114.16–159.30, 24.43–27.31 and 287.76–330.73 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of Zn, Ba, and Ni were below their respective guideline values, however, specific guideline values were not available for Ca and Ti. The extent of contamination was further assessed using enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). Nickel showed no enrichment, Zn was in the range of minor to moderate enrichment while Ba and Ca showed low enrichment, suggesting contributions from both natural and human activities. The CF values indicated low to considerable contamination, and the PLI values (1.88–2.88) showed that the soils were affected by varying degrees of contamination. The Igeo values indicated moderate contamination by Zn and Ca. Overall, the findings suggest that activities associated with the cement manufacturing facility may be contributing to the enrichment of some elements in the surrounding soils. Regular monitoring of soil quality is therefore recommended to assess changes in elemental concentrations over time.
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