Samuel Estifanos^*

Show more
Department of Earth Sciences, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia..
Show less

Abstract: Sixteen physicochemical parameters including four major and ten trace metals were analyzed for seven top soil and six top stream sediment samples collected around the vicinity of cement factory in Mekelle, Ethiopia. Water and aqua regia extraction techniques were deployed to determine the water soluble and near total concentration of the metals in the samples. Water extraction results verified the magnitude of loading of the metals from anthropogenic sources. The mean values of the water soluble metals are found to exceed the reference values except for Ca and Zn in both lithogenic media indicating the severity of pollution. Spatial distribution of the metals suggested that cement factory dust and traffic emissions represent the most important pollutant sources for the investigated area.  The mean proportion of the major and trace metals in the water soluble phase of soil can be put on a descending order as: Mg (57.76%) > Fe > Ca > K > Na > Mn (3.77%) and Mo (53.17%) > Cu > Co > As > Ni > Zn > Pb > Cr (5.02%) respectively. The order of major metals is almost reverse in the case of the stream sediment with slight difference in the order of the trace metals. Factor analysis has revealed that the first factor represents the contribution of metals (Mn, Cr, As, Co, Zn, Na, K, Cu, Pb and Ni) from local anthropogenic activities, whereas the second factor represents the contribution of metals (Na, Fe, Cu, Pb, Ni, Ca, As, Co, Zn and Mo) from both lithogenic and anthropogenic origins. Third factor consists of Ca, Mo, Mg, and Fe from geogenic source of the local geology. It is spatially evident that the cement dust emission has an impact on the soil’s Cr, Co, Mo and Ni content which drastically decreases downstream. The spatial pattern of Cu, Pb, As, Zn and Co shows significant association with the cement dust and loadings from the traffic movement on the road.

Keywords: Metals; Geochemical Extraction; Cement Factory; Dust Emission; Factor Analysis

Cite this paper: S. Estifanos, "Investigating the Distribution of Selected Major and Trace Metals in Lithogenic Environment near Cement Factory, Mekelle, Ethiopia," Journal of Environmental Protection, Vol. 5 No. 2, 2014, pp. 144-155. doi: 10.4236/jep.2014.52018.

References

[1]   A. Abdullahi, Y. D. Usman, S. S. Noma, M. Audu, N. M. Danmoma and H. Shuaibu, “Fertility Status of Fadama Soils in Gantsare Village, Wamakko Local Government, Sokoto State as Affected by Cement Dust,” Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2010, pp. 58-64.

[2]   Z. I. Muhammad and S. Muhammad, “Periodical Effect of Cement Dust Pollution on the Growth of Some Plant Species,” Turkish Journal of Botany, Vol. 2, No. 5, 2001, pp. 19-24.

[3]   R. Jain and P. L. Jain, “Pollution of Soil Due To Cement Factory near Narsingarh, Madhya Pradesh, India,” Journal of Environmental Research and Development, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2006, pp. 153-154.

[4]   H. Ahiamadjie and O. K. Adukpo, “Determination of the Elemental Contents in Soils around Diamond Cement Factory, Aflao,” Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2010, pp. 46-50.

[5]   C. O. Princewill and N. N. Adanma, “Metal Concentration in Soil and Plants in Abandoned Cement Factory,” International Conference on Biotechnology and Environment Management IPCBEE, Singapore, 2011, Vol. 18, pp. 146-150.

[6]   E. G. Ameh, M. S. Kolawole and E. G. Imeokparia, “Using Factor-Cluster Analysis and Enrichment Methods to Evaluate Impact of Cement Production on Stream Sediments around Obajana Cement Factory in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria,” Advances in Applied Science Research, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2011, pp. 76-89.

[7]   S. S. Al-Oud, M. E. A. Nadeem, B. H. Al-Shbel, “Distribution of Heavy Metals in Soils and Plants around a Cement Factory in Riyadh City, Central Of Saudi Arabia,” American-Eurasian Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2011, pp. 183-191.

[8]   M. A. Addo and E. O. Darko, “Evaluation of Heavy Metals Contamination of Soil and Vegetation in The Vicinity of a Cement Factory in the Volta Region, Ghana,” International Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012, pp. 40-50.

[9]   S. Estifanos and A. Degefa, “Assessing the Effect of Cement Dust Emission on the Physicochemical Nature of Soil around Messebo Area, Tigray, North Ethiopia,” International Journal of Economic and Environmental Geology, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2012, pp. 12-20.

[10]   M. A. Addo, E. O. Darko, C. Gordon and B. J. B. Nyarko “Contamination of Soils and Loss of Productivity of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) Caused by Cement Dust Pollution,” International Journal of Research in Chemistry and Environment,” Vol. 3, No. 1, 2013, pp. 272-282.

[11]   K. Bhupander, K. Sanjay, M. Meenu, S. K. Singh, D. Prakash, C. S. Sharmal and D. P. Mukherjee, “Geochemical Fractionation of Some Heavy Metals in Soils in the Vicinity of Sukinda Mining Area, Orissa,” Advances in Applied Science Research, Vol. 2, No. 5, 2011, pp. 263-272.

[12]   P. Vrhovnik, N. Rogan Smuc, T. Dolenec, T. Serafimovski and M. Dolenec, “Impact of Pb-Zn Mining Activity on Surficial Sediments of Lake Kalimanci (FYR Macedonia),” Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol. 2013, No. 22, 2013, pp. 996-1009.

[13]   R. Scheifler, C.Schwartz, G. Chevarria, A. De Vaufleury, P.-M. badot and J.-L. Morel, “Nonavailable Soil Cadmium Is Bioavailable to Snails: Evidence From Isotopic Dilution Experiments,” Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 37, No. 1, 2003, pp. 81-86.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es025677w

[14]   J. Hlavay, T. Prohaska, M. Weisz, W. W. Wenzel and G. J. Stingeder, “Determination of Trace Elements Bound to Soils and Sediment Fractions,” IUPAC Technical Report, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Vol. 76, No. 2, 2004, pp. 415-442.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/pac200476020415

[15]   S. de Villiers, C. Thiart and N. C. Basson, “Identification of Sources of Environmental Lead in South Africa from Surface Soil Geochemical Maps,” Environmental Geochemistry and Health, Vol. 32, 2010, pp. 451-459.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10653-010-9288-8

[16]   J. Benjamin, “Wind Data Evaluation after 6 Months,” Wind Energy Programme TERNA-Ethiopia Deutsche Gesellschaft ftir Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) gmbH Dag-Hammarskjold-Weg 1-5, 2005.

[17]   L. B. Hinrich, L. M. Brian and G. A. O’Connor, “Soil Chemistry,” 3rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 2001.

[18]   A. Probst, L. Hernandez and J. L. Probst, “Heavy Metals Partioning in Three French Forest Soils by Sequential Extraction Procedure,” Journal De Physique IV, France, Vol. 107, 2003, pp. 1103-1106.

[19]   E. Joan, McLean and E. B. Bert, “Behavior of Metals in Soils,” United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/540/5-92/018, 1992.

[20]   O. A. Al-Khashman and R. A. Shawabkeh, “Metals Distribution in Soils around the Cement Factory in Southern Jordan,” Environmental Pollution, Vol. 140, No. 3, 2006, pp. 387-394.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2005.08.023

[21]   G. M. A. Bermudez, M. Moreno, R. Invernizzi, R. Pla and L. M. Pignata, “Evaluating Top Soil Trace Element Pollution in the Vicinity of a Cement Plant and a Former Open-Cast Uranium Mine in Central Argentina,” Journal of Soils and Sediments, Vol. 10, No. 7, 2010, pp. 1308-1323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0243-1

[22]   G. H. Guo, F. C. Wu, F. Z. Xie and R. Q. Zhang, “Spatial Distribution and Pollution Assessment of Heavy Metals in Urban Soils from Southwest China,” Journal of Environmental Sciences, Vol. 24, No. 3, 2012, pp. 410-418.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(11)60762-6

[23]   K. B. Mmolawa, A. S. Likuku and G. K. Gaboutloeloe, “A Preliminary Study Of Heavy Metal Contamination Along Major Roads In Botswana,” International Journal of Environmental Science, Management and Engineering Research, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2012, pp. 10-19.

[24]   J. O. Olowoyo, E. van Heerden and J. Fischer, “Trace Metals Concentrations in Soil From Different Sites in Pretoria, South Africa,” Sustainable Environmental Research, Vol. 23, No. 2, 2013, pp. 93-99.

[25]   A. M. Abdel-Rahman and M. M. Ibrahim, “Effect of Cement Dust Deposition on Physiological Behaviors of Some Halophytes in the Salt Marshes of Red Sea,” Egyptian Academic Journal of biological Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2012, pp. 1-11.

[26]   S. S. Ahmad and S. Erum, “Integrated Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution along Motorway M-2,” Soil & Environment, Vol. 29, No. 2, 2010, 110-116.

[27]   S. Odat and A. M. Alshammari, “Special Distribution of Soil Pollution along the Main Highways in Hail City, Saudi Arabia,” Jordan Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2011, pp. 163-172.