Soil samples were collected from and around Almarqub cement factory, AL-Khums city, Libya. These samples were collected from four different sites M1 (inside the factory), M2 (150 m from the factory), M3 (350 m from the factory) and M4 (60 km away from the factory as the control samples. The study was conducted to determine the heavy metal concentration in the soil. Organic matter, pH and water content value were determined according to the method described by Chaturvedi and Sankar (2006). Metals were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results obtained for the examined physiochemical properties of soil in the area studied prove that cement dust from the Almarqub cement factory has had a significant impact on the soil. The affected soil properties are pH and total calcium content. These properties were found to be higher than those in similar soils from the same area unpolluted. The increase of soil pH in the same area may be a result of precipitation of cement dust over the years. Metal uptake from cement to soil and plants. Metals determined in contamination soil indicated high concentrations in M1 inside cement factory compared to soil samples as control. Results of the analysis have shown that there are signs of slight impact of soil properties arising from the cement dust on the soils, especially at location inside the factory. Recommendations were offered to monitor the dust falling on the soils through trapping and utilizing the dust emissions of cement.
Measurements of natural radioactivity in soil samples around Kufa cement factory sites in Najaf governorate, Iraq
