Assessment of Air Particulate Pollution in New Badoosh Cement Factory/ Iraq

In this research, measurements of total (TSP) and fine suspended particulate PM1, PM2.5, PM7 and PM10 at Badoosh cement factory were carried out. Seventeen locations inside the factory are selected. The effect on soil around the cement factory was also studied by collecting samples in the four directions North, South, East and West to a distance of five kilometers from the factory with one kilometer spacing. The result of the study revealed that; the concentration of very fine suspended particulate PM2.5 was over the international standard limits at different locations of the factory and the overall average concentration for the factory was (47 ). For PM10 suspended particulates, the results at all locations were over the international limits and the overall average concentration reached 869 m, which was much more than the standards of 150 . On the other hand, the total suspended particulate concentration exceed the standard at several locations in the factory. Significant correlations were found among the suspended particulate concentrations according to their size. The results of soil test around the cement factory showed significant differences of oxides percentages among the directions. Higher percentages were recorded in the South and East directions than North-West direction. The results also revealed that the percentages of SiO2 and Al2O3 were 40.94% and 10.53% in the east direction whereas higher percentage for Fe2O3 (4.86%), CaO (36.81%), MgO (4.49%), and SO3 (0.76%) were recorded in the south direction of factory.