Effects of cement dust deposition on water, soil and green plants in Ariyalur district

Abstract

The pollutant particles can have as consequence the reduction of biodiversity and the quality of water, soil and whole ecosystems. Especially, the cement dust can be emitted at every stage of cement production caused photosynthetic process, leaf stomata, discoloration, enzymatic malfunction, growth reduction and productivity of plants. In this study, the water, surface soil, bottom soil and two plant ( Croton bonplandianum and Cassiaauriculata) samples were collected from three different (cement dust exposed) sites of Ariyalur district during summer 2014 for physiochemical, heavy metal and biochemical constituents analysis. The sampling sites of S1, S2 and S3 were 0-500 m, 500-1000 m and 1000-1500 m away from the cement industry of Ariyalur industrial zone, respectively. The results from those sites were compared with control site (C1) (Jamal Mohammed College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu - non-industrial area) results. The higher concentrations of physiochemical and heavy metal parameters were observed from the study areas than the control sites which indicated that those sites drained large amount of cement dust particles from cement industries. The surface soil got higher concentration of all parameters followed by bottom soil and ground water. The phytochemical concentration was also reduced in study area plants than control site plants. Hence, the Ariyalur district needed throughout impoundment.