Investigating the environmental pollution caused by steel slag in Dana steel rolling mill plant, Katsina

Abstract

Presence of heavy metals in the soil may contaminate the surrounding environment which causes chronic diseases. The waste steel slag in Dana steel rolling mill Katsina, Nigeria is always dumped within the premises of the company. Therefore, this research examined the level of environmental pollution caused by the deposited steel slag. Minipal 4 version of PW4030 X –Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF Spectrometer) was used to analyse the chemical composition of sample A (slag), sample B (mill scale), sample C (humus soil) and sample D (humus soil and slag) at Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Chemical compounds were detected in all the samples with oxides, Fe₂O₃ (11.8% - 86.13%) and SiO₂ (4.41% - 57.7%) dominating. Product moment correlation coefficient was used to compare the effect of Slag (sample A) on Humus soil (sample C). The result obtained has shown that, the calculated value r = + 0.763 is greater than the table value r = + 0.483 at 5% level of significance and 15 d.f. This indicates that, the correlation between the two samples is highly significant. Fe₂O₃, MnO and ZnO trace elements in the humus soil were enriched after cultured with slag sample and P₂O₅, K₂O, CaO, and SO₃ trace elements that are useful for plants growth and development were leached.