Cement Dust Effect from Bokajan Cement Factory on Residents of Vicinity Area: A Study in Assam, India

Cement manufacturing industries are one of the most common reasons of air pollution, surface and ground water pollution and noise pollution and is also indirectly affecting the people residing near the cement plants. This study was carried out to quantify the cement dust emission from Bokajan Cement Corporation of India’s cement factory falling on the residences and to determine its effect on some selected household activities and general well-being of the people residing near it. An experimental method was carried out to estimate the accumulated cement dust in households. The findings showed that household activities performed by the residence were dependent upon the dust exposure, which means more the dusts are more are the cleaning and maintenance. It was also found that cement dust highly affected general wellbeing of the respondents living in southern direction and lowest affect was observed among the respondents of the east direction.

Impact of Cement Dust on Physical and Chemical Nutrients Properties of Forest Topsoil

: The study examined the impact of Cement dust on physical and chemical nutrients properties of forest topsoil in close proximity to a major private cement industry in Obajana, Kogi State, Nigeria using standard methods by collecting Topsoil samples for physical and chemical properties analyses which are particle size, moisture content, pH, carbon, nitrogen,phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, cation exchange capacity and organic matter.Data revealed a strong influence of the particulate pollutants on the forest topsoil in close proximity to the Cement factory. It was observed that the soil properties; moisture content and soil pH varied at distances away from the factory. The result showed that the Cement dust particles entering the soil increased the pH of the soil, it more alkaline. The highest pH (6.03) was observed from hundred and fifty meters sample indicating the highest particulate pollution. There were also variations in the other soil nutrient properties; carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, cation exchange capacity and organic matter arising from the effect of cement dust. High organic matter content was recorded in the location samples compared with the control sample. This is attributed to the addition of cement dust to the soils, resulting in improved organic-matter cycling and plant growth. The result also showed that the chemical properties; organic carbon (OC), organic matter (OM), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are significantly higher in the study areas than the control. The study therefore concludes that the emission of cement dust on the forest stands over the years was found to have significantly affected the topsoil properties.

Some Geotechnical Properties of Plastic Soil Enhanced with Cement Dust

Plastic soil exhibits unfavorited geotechnical properties (when saturation), which causes negative defects to engineering structures. Different attempts (included various materials) were conducted to proffer solutions to such defects by experimenting in practical ways. On one hand, these attempts aimed to improve the engineering characteristics of plastic soil, and on the other hand, to use problematic waste materials as a stabilizer, like cement kiln dust, and to reduce environmental hazards. This paper explored the shrinkage, plasticity, and strength behavior of plastic soil enhanced with cement dust. The cement dust contents were 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% by dry weight of soil. An experimental series of shrinkage and plasticity tests and unconfined compression tests were carried out to explore the effects of cement dust on the quantitative amount of shrinkage, plasticity characteristics, and shear strength experienced by plastic soil. The effects of curing on soil strength were also investigated. The finding of this paper showed that the critical behavior and plasticity of plastic soil could be reduced by mixing the soil with 15% or 20% of cement dust. The undrained shear strength, cu, of plastic soil-cement dust mixtures increased with the increasing dust content up to 20%. In fact, this strength was affected by the curing period. The best enhancement was attained when the content of cement dust was 20%, and the undrained shear strength was increased more than three times at this content.

Assessment of environmental impacts of Rabak cement factory on vegetation and soil by cement dust

Globally, the cement industry has been identified as a factor which causes significant pollution. This study is conducted to assess environmental impacts of cement industry - Rabak Cement Factory on vegetation and soil. Standard methods were followed in collecting, preparation and examination of some plant and soil samples from the study areas. The results showed that, the mean values of soil pH, electric conductivity and moisture contents, were (7.58, 449.38 µs/cm, 4.56%), respectively in the exposed area, and (7.28, 343.63 µs/cm, 4.31%) in the unexposed area. There were significance differences between exposed and unexposed areas with regard to concentrations of oxides of elements (Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, Mn2O, Na2O and K2O) in soil and in different vegetables (Radish, Jews mallow, Fennel, Rocket) in the study area. The factory management should further provide the latest technologies to reduce industrial emissions to protect the environment and population living around the factory. Further studies are needed to investigate the impacts of cement industry on environment.