Microplastics have been found in borehole water surrounding a major cement production facility in Sokoto, Nigeria, according to a new study published in New Contaminants. The findings suggest that cement production and associated plastic handling practices may contribute to groundwater contamination, adding a new dimension to concerns about industrial impacts on drinking water resources.
Researchers examined borehole water collected from communities around the Sokoto Cement Factory, one of the largest cement production facilities in northern Nigeria. The team sampled boreholes from the north, south, east, and west of the factory and analyzed the water for microplastic abundance, particle characteristics, polymer composition, and potential health risks.
The study found that microplastics were present in all sampled borehole waters, with concentrations ranging from 150 ± 10 items per liter in the western axis to 460 ± 20 items per liter in the northern axis. The northern sampling area recorded significantly higher contamination than the other directions, a pattern the authors suggest may be linked to seasonal wind movement, surface runoff, and local hydrogeological conditions.
"Groundwater is often perceived as protected from surface pollution, but our results show that microplastics can reach borehole water near industrial settings," said corresponding author Tajudeen Olanrewaju Yahaya. "This is especially important for communities that depend on groundwater for drinking, cooking, and other domestic uses."
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters. Because of their persistence and small size, they can move through air, soil, and water systems. They may also carry chemical additives, heavy metals, or other pollutants, increasing concern about long-term exposure.
In this study, the researchers identified several microplastic shapes, including fibers, microfilms, microbeads, foams, and pellets. Fibers were especially dominant, making up all particles detected in the northern samples and 42% of particles in the southern samples. The most common particle colors were transparent and white, followed by black, blue, and yellow. Most particles were in the 100 to 500 micrometer and 500 to 1,000 micrometer size ranges.
Using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, the team identified several common plastic polymers, including polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and nylon. Polyethylene was the most abundant polymer across all sampling areas, while nylon was detected in the southern samples.
The researchers also assessed potential risks using the pollution load index and polymer risk index. The pollution load index showed contamination across the sampling zone, while all locations were classified as Risk Level IV, the highest category in the polymer risk screening system used in the study. The authors note that this index reflects relative polymer hazard potential and does not replace a full drinking water exposure assessment.
"These findings should not be interpreted as a final estimate of human health risk, but they do point to a clear need for closer monitoring," Yahaya said. "Reducing plastic leakage from packaging, improving waste management, and routinely testing groundwater around industrial sites are practical steps that can help protect nearby communities."
The study points to several possible sources of microplastics around cement facilities, including degradation of plastic packaging, synthetic fiber additives used in cement and concrete materials, plastic waste handling, vehicle tire wear, runoff from industrial areas, and windborne particle deposition.
The authors recommend improved plastic packaging recycling, stronger stormwater and waste management systems, reduced use of microplastic-containing materials where possible, and routine groundwater monitoring around cement production sites. They also call for future studies using particle-specific polymer identification, detailed meteorological data, hydrogeological mapping, and exposure-based health risk assessment.
The research provides baseline evidence that cement plants may act as emerging sources of microplastic pollution in groundwater, particularly in regions where nearby communities depend heavily on boreholes for water supply.
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Journal reference: Yahaya TO, Abdulrahaman FO, Adewale MK, Kolawole OA, Izuafa A, et al. 2026. Cement production as a source of groundwater microplastic pollution: occurrence, characteristics, and health risks in Sokoto, Nigeria. New Contaminants 2: e014 doi: 10.48130/newcontam-0026-0011
https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/newcontam-0026-0011
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About the Journal:
New Contaminants (e-ISSN 3069-7603) is an open-access journal focusing on research related to emerging pollutants and their remediation.
