Aluminum, Silicon and Nutrients Characteristics in Precipitation of Semi-Arid Area in Dodoma Municipality, Tanzania
Loading...
Date
2015
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Invention Journals
Abstract
Dodoma region is a semi arid area experiencing long dry season accompanied with very strong wind.
This condition results into suspension of particles in the atmosphere originating from the blown soil
dust which may transport nutrients and other metals and causing negative consequences to the
ecosystem. Contribution of this phenomenon to the atmospheric aluminum, silicon and nutrients is not
well understood. The study was conducted to assess atmospheric deposition of aluminum, silicon and
nutrients in Dodoma Municipality. The samples of rain water were collected in event basis from three
different areas reflecting a combination of natural and anthropogenic activities and analyzed for
aluminum, silicon, ammonium, nitrate and phosphate. The results show that there is strong variation in
rainfall intensity within Dodoma Municipality caused by niches of micro meteorological factors. The
concentration of nutrients showed that NO3
->NH4
+>PO4
3- with volume weighted mean concentrations 500,
210 and 160μgL-1, respectively. Nutrients deposition in Dodoma Municipality show clear spatial variation
due to nature and intensity of anthropogenic activities. It was also found that annual deposition flux of
the nitrogen based nutrient is low compared to the other reported area with similar rainfall intensity
reflecting less industrial activities and relatively low population density. However phosphorous
deposition is relatively high due to burning of biomass during land preparation and dissolution from soil
particles. Silicon and aluminum in the precipitation around Dodoma Municipality was significantly high
showing clear spatial variation as results of variation of rainwater pH. It was concluded that strong wind
during dry condition disperse nutrients and bring soil dust which results into high concentrations of
aluminum and silicon and low concentrations of nitrogen in the wet precipitation
Description
This research article was published by International Invention Journals in 2015