| Abstract: |
All chemical manufacturing industries generate wastes either in the form of solid, liquid (effluent) or gaseous as they adversely pollute our immediate environments with severe consequences. Portland cement which is specifically and extensively used in various constructions is a potential source of surface water pollution being a mixture of Calcium oxide, Aluminum oxide, silica, Magnesium oxide, and heavy metals. Case studies of two cement factories in Ogun state, southwest Nigeria were analyzed against FEPA standard of 1995. Physico-chemical parameters such as, temperature, pH, BOD, TDS, EC, sulphate, chloride and nitrate of two the cases as [Ewekoro = 30oC, 7.6, 7.67mg/l, 257mg/l,395.38µS/cm, 166.03mg/l,15.5mg/l, 16.3mg/l;Sagamu=33oC,9,8.99mg/l, 255.09mg/l,392.45µS/cm, 165.01mg/l and 19.5mg/l, 15.8mg/l] were estimated to be lower to that of FEPA guideline. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and electrical conductivity (EC), which were not recognized by FEPA standard are [Ewekoro=8.02mg/l, 395.38 µS/cm and Sagamu= 7.5mg/l and 392.45 µS/cm for respectively. Heavy metals as Fe,Zn,Mg,Ca,Cu,Pb,Cd,Mn [Ewekoro=3.92ppm,0.67ppm,19.18ppm,251.8ppm, 0.09ppm,0.5ppm,3.2ppm,and0.05ppm;Sagamu=4.02ppm,0.68ppm,19.2ppm,252ppm,0.08ppm, 0.43ppm and 0.44ppm, 2.6ppm] were all below the standard except calcium in both case which can be attributed to the high fraction of calcium in the discharged effluent ; and K (Ewekoro= 187.5ppm and Sagamu= 188ppm)which has no guild with FEPA standards. TDS and EC were further evaluated in order to establish the correlation and the linear relationship between the two cases by analytically preparing the serial solutions of the surface water with deionized water. This concept clearly predicted the status of the surface water samples under the factor of 0.66 as the ratio of TDS to EC at 25oC with a perfect regression (unity) values. The surface water samples were perceived in maintaining their natural states with motion despite the fraction of effluents being discharged in them. |
