The Contribution of the GIS and the Principal Component Analysis in the Study of the Cement’s Dusts Impact on the Top Soils in the Central Part of the Oujda-Taourirt Corridor (Eastern Morocco)

Mohamed El Kharmouz, Mohamed Sbaa, Sanae Saadi

Mohamed First University, East Center of the Water Sciences and Technologies, Oujda, Morocco.

DOI: 10.4236/ojap.2013.24011                

Abstract

Cement dust pollution is one of the sources of atmospheric pollution. The main impacts of the cement activity to the environment are the broadcasts of dusts and gases. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of cement dust pollution on physico-chemical characteristics of the soil at the vicinity of the cement factory in Oujda-Taourirt corridor (Eastern Morocco) using Principal component analysis (PCA) and geographical information system (GIS). Forty one (41) surface soils (0 - 3 cm) were collected from the six rural townships surrounding the cement factory. The collected soil samples were analyzed for their chemical properties (CaO, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, K₂O, MgO, SO₃ and SiO₂) as well as their pH and Electric Conductivity. The results of the analysis showed that the dusts emitted by the cement plant are especially basic and contain a high free lime (43.03% CaO). The principal component analysis applied on the 41 superficial soil samples, allows deducting that the free lime and the sulfur oxide are the tracer elements of this form of pollution. Furthermore, the spatial projection of the factor scores of the principal component analysis using the geographical information system permits us to determine the spatial distribution of more polluted areas of soils as well as to estimate their impact at a zone of 2.5 km of beam around the factory.

Keywords

Cement Dust; Soil; Spatial Distribution; Physico-Chemical Analysis; PCA

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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