International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology

Vol-7, Issue-4; Jul-Aug, 2022

Journal Home Page Available: https://ijeab.com/

Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijeab

Peer Reviewed

Study on the Physico-Chemical Properties of Cement Dust

and the Possibility of Application in Agriculture
Indira Šestan1, Melisa Ahmetović2, Besim Salkić3, Emir Imširović3, Nedžad Šeper5

1Department of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Technology, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Email: [email protected]
2
Department of Physical chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Technology, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Email: [email protected]
3Department of Plant production, Faculty of Technology, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Email: [email protected]
4Department of Plant production, Faculty of Technology, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Email: [email protected]
5Department of Plant production, Faculty of Technology, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Email: [email protected]

Received: 27 Jul 2022; Received in revised form: 21 Aug 2022; Accepted: 25 Aug 2022; Available online: 31 Aug 2022
©2022 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract— Cement dust is created as a by-product during the production of cement, and in its composition it
contains high concentrations of calcium oxide (CaO), potassium oxide (K 2O) and other important micro and
macro elements. Due to its composition, it is suitable for correcting the pH of the soil, as well as for the uptake
of essential elements by plants. The ability to accumulate essential and non-essential heavy metals also depends
on the cultivated plant species, and vegetables show the greatest affinity for these elements. The application of
cement dust as a soil additive used to improve the physico-chemical soil properties is examined in the paper.
After the addition, the soil was mechanically cultivated and planting of the vegetable crop tomato was carried
out. The content of essential elements and heavy metals was determined in the soil, cement dust, and tomato
fruits grown on soil with and without the addition of cement dust. Due to the high pH value, high conductivity as
well as the high content of CaO, it is very important to examine in real conditions how the addition of cement
dust to the soil affects the formation of micro and macro elements as well as the content of heavy metals when
growing tomatoes. The results showed that the cement kiln dust is an effective addition to the soil because it is a
source of calcium, potassium and other essential elements without affecting the loss of quality or contamination
with heavy metals during production.
Keywords— Physico-chemical characterization, cement dust, heavy metals, tomato.

I. INTRODUCTION for adoption by living organisms or incorporation into

With the increase in the number of the population in the them, i.e. their bioavailability [2]. Plants need
world, the need for food production has also increased, macronutrients and micronutrients for their growth. The
which conditions the investment of great efforts in the field main difference is in the amount of each biogenic element
of agricultural sciences with the aim of achieving that plants need. If it is about a larger amount that the plant
maximum yields. Each plant for its growth and requires during its life cycle, it is about macronutrients,
development has certain requirements in the supply of that is, if the plant requires biogenic elements in small
plant elements that plants mainly use from the soil [1] The amounts, it is about micronutrients. However, there is no
fact that chemical substances are present in the difference in importance; both are necessary for the proper
environment does not necessarily mean their availability growth and development of the plant [3]. Plants have a

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Šestan et al. International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology, 7(4)-2022

highly specific mechanism of receiving and storing of its addition to the soil on the translocation of micro and
essential micronutrients from the environment, even at low macro elements as well as the content of heavy metals in
ppm values. They also developed the mechanism of tomato fruits in order to establish its positive agrochemical
translocation and storage of micronutrients. These same properties and the potential possibility of its use in
mechanisms of receiving, translocation and storing also agriculture.
affect the absorption of toxic elements [4]. Heavy metals
have multiple importance:
II. METHODS
- they represent an important raw material for
Material
numerous industrial branches,
The experimental study was conducted in the campus area
- some of them are essential for living organisms,
of the University of Tuzla, on a land area of 500 m2. A soil
- they can have a favorable effect on agricultural sample for analysis (about 2 kg) was taken from a depth of
productivity and 0-30 cm, and after delivery to the laboratory, the pH value,
- most of them are often significant pollutants of conductivity, content of micro and macro elements and
the environment [5]. content of heavy metals were determined. After that, the
Heavy metals are characterized by different chemical, physico-chemical characterization of the cement dust was
physical and physiological effects. Some of them are carried out in order to determine the composition, pH
necessary for living organisms, such as: zinc (Zn), iron value, content of micro and macro elements as well as the
(Fe), molybdenum (Mo), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), content of heavy metals. After the soil and cement dust
selenium (Se), copper (Cu). Toxic metals are considered analysis, cement dust was applied in the amount of 50
very dangerous pollutants and represent a great danger to kg/100 m2 per land surface, after which plowing was
all living organisms, humans, animals and plants [6]. carried out. After 30 days, tomatoes were planted, where
Heavy metals are natural components of many food their growth and development were monitored in the
products, whether eaten fresh or processed [7]. The period March-July, and after ripening, the fruits were
transfer of heavy metals from the soil to vegetables and delivered to the laboratory and analyzed.
fruits is the basis of the entry of heavy metals into the food Preparation of soil, cement dust and tomato fruits for
chain [8]. The choice of the place of cultivation and the analysis
type of vegetables is very important because there can be Soil and cement dust samples were prepared by dry
too high a concentration (above MDK) in vegetables digestion [18]. The procedure consists in measuring a
produced in gardens in urban areas. We can expect the certain amount of the sample, which is then placed in a
lowest concentrations in fruit vegetables, and the highest in porcelain cup and burned by moderate heating for several
root vegetables [9]. It is considered that the toxicity of hours, during which carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and
heavy metals is evident only if their concentration in partially oxygen are converted into gases, while non-
pla[11],. nt tissue is increased above average values [10]. volatile oxides remain. The combustion process produces
Disposal of cement dust is very difficult and causes danger ash that is completely free of organic matter, which is a
to the environment. In order to minimize the adverse basic prerequisite for further analytical tests. The ash
environmental impact of cement dust, many studies have obtained by the combustion process is then dissolved in a
been conducted to examine the beneficial commercial use mixture of acids, filtered and diluted to a certain volume,
of cement dust [11], [12]. Cement dust can be defined as a after which the solution is ready for analysis. Tomato fruit
particulate material consisting of raw material, clinker samples were prepared by wet crushing. The methods used
particles and some calcined raw materials collected from for the analysis of heavy metals in food samples and
the exhaust gas kilns of the Portland cement [13], [14], environmental samples are based on different
[15]. The use of cement dust in agriculture is useful and spectrometric analytical techniques: Atomic Absorption
practical because it is a tool that improves soil properties Spectrophotometry (AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma
and is a source of nutrients for plants. In many parts of the Optical Emission Spectrophotometry (ICP-OES) and
world, many researchers have proposed the use of cement Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
dust to improve soil quality and increase yields [16]. X-ray [19].
diffraction analysis showed that the main components of
-For the determination of heavy metals, the method of
cement dust are calcite (CaCO3), quartz (SiO2) and
emission spectrophotometry was used, using the Optical
calcium sulfate (CaSO4) [17].
emission spectrometer “Perkin Elmer” ICP Optima 2100
The aim of the paper is to carry out the physico-chemical DV.
characterization of cement dust and examine the influence

ISSN: 2456-1878 (Int. J. Environ. Agric. Biotech.)

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Šestan et al. International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology, 7(4)-2022

-The content of alkali and alkaline earth metals was Cement dust chemical properties Content
determined by flame photometry using Jenway/PFP7
CaO (%) 65,40
Flame Photometer.
-Nitrogen content was determined by the Kjeldahl method, Al2O3 (%) 3,55
and phosphorus and potassium content by UV/VIS K2O (%) 8,68
spectrophotometry using a flame spectrophotometer.
Fe2O3 (%) 3,04
-Soil pH was determined using a pH ion meter.
Determination of the pH reaction of the samples is carried SiO2 (%) 7,03
out by weighing 10 grams of the sample transferred into a Cl (%) 4,54
100 ml beaker. The samples are then poured with 25 ml of
SO3 3,11
distilled water, i.e. 1 M KCl, and mixed well with a glass
rod. After 30 minutes, the pH value in the sample MgO 1,10
suspension is measured with a pH-meter which is properly Na2O 0,77
calibrated with standard buffer solutions of known pH
pH(H2O) 12,76
value [20].
-The chemical composition of cement dust was determined pH(KCI) 12,70
using the XRF method (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy). Electrical conductivity (mS/cm) 5,31

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 3. Content of essential and heavy metals in soil and
Determining chemical properties of the soil, the content of cement dust (mg/kg, air-dried sample)
macro and micro elements as well as the content of heavy Sample Soil Cement dust
metals in the soil is a basic indicator for determining the
Cd 0.05 2.18
degree of pollution and the suitability of the soil for crop
production. Pb 8.86 35.28
Table 1. Significant physico-chemical properties of soil Ca 6456 18516
Soil chemical properties Content Cu 8.86 54.45
pH(H2O) 6.92 Fe 14133 6346.6
pH(KCI) 5.71 Mg 2761.6 2780
34 Mn 350 128.9
Electrical conductivity, EC ( S/cm)
Na 332.8 1700
Total N (%) 0.2685
Ni 94.75 64.6
Accessible K2O (mg/100 g of soil) 8,0
Zn 32.01 16.18
Accessible P2O5 (mg/100 g of soil) 1,735

Based on the shown average values of essential and heavy

Determination of the pH reaction of the soil in water and
metal content in Table 3, it can be concluded that the
KCl solution is carried out to determine the pH reaction of
content of the tested elements in the soil and cement dust
the soil, which is an indicator of a number of the soil
was within the maximum allowed values [21], except for
agrochemical properties, important for plant nutrition, and
the concentration of nickel in the soil, which was above the
is expressed in pH units. Based on the pH value of the soil,
allowed values. The origin of nickel in the soil is explained
it can be concluded that the analyzed soil sample belongs
as natural, given that the examined soil has not been
to carbonate to slightly acidic soils, with a very low supply
cultivated for more than 10 years. Bioavailability and
of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Table 2 shows the
bioaccumulation of essential elements and heavy metals in
chemical analysis of cement dust. From the obtained
plants is directly correlated with their content and mobility
results, it is evident that cement dust has an extremely
in the soil. Diagram 1 shows the values of the content of
alkaline reaction and high conductivity, which is correlated
essential elements and heavy metals in tomato fruits in
with a high content of calcium and potassium oxides.
order to compare the obtained values with the regulations
Table 2. Significant physico-chemical properties of cement on the maximum allowed values [22].
dust

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Šestan et al. International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology, 7(4)-2022

IV. CONCLUSION
Cement dust is created as a by-product during the
production of cement, it has a high pH value and is
suitable for the soil pH correction.
Due to the high content of calcium, potassium as well as
other micro and macro elements, it can be used as a soil
additive at improving the fruit quality.
The content of the examined essential elements, as well as
the content of heavy metals in the plant was within the
Fig.1 Content of essential elements and heavy metals permitted limits, except for the concentration of copper,
whose concentration was above the permitted level. The
(data are expressed in mg/kg fresh weight)
assumed reason for the increase in copper concentration in
tomato fruits is that a cooper-based vegetable protection
Sample 1 – tomato fruits grown on soil with the addition of agent is used.
cement dust. In general, the results have shown that the cement kiln dust
Sample 2 – tomato fruits grown on soil without the is an effective source of K and Ca for tomato production
addition of cement dust. without short-term quality loss or soil metal
contamination.
Based on the average values of the analyzed elements (Ca,
Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni and Zn) in the tomato samples, the
content was in accordance with the regulation on ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
maximum allowed concentrations in vegetables (21). A
The authors acknowledge Lukavac Cement d.o.o. (Bosnia
higher uptake of calcium, iron and nickel was found in
and Herzegovina) for their financial support of this
tomato fruits grown on soil with added cement dust, while
research.
the content of other elements was higher in pepper fruits
grown on soil without cement dust. The determined values
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