Environmental and Socioeconomic Impact of Algaily Refinery, Khartoum State, Sudan

Abstract

Abstract The present study was carried out to evaluate the environmental and socioeconomic impact of Algaily refinery on its vicinity. The data, which was statistically analyzed, was collected from field trips, chemical analyses, personal communications and questionnaires. A total of 158 respondents were chosen from five villages in the study area: Gerry, Wad Ramli, Wawessy, Alshuhada and Algaily. The chemical analysis was performed to assess the heavy metals in soil and plantusing a spectrophotometer ASTM. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS Program No 11.0. The results revealed that the refinery area is part of Acacia rotliles / Desert Scrub vegetation zone. The area is dominated by natural (Acacia tortiles subsp. tortiles and Acacia niIotica)and cultivated (Conocaprus erectus and Azadirachta indica) trees. Different concentrations of heavy metals (Phil and Cd”) were encountered in the soil and natural and cultivated plants. Concentration of both minerals was much higher in natural and cultivated plants compared with their concentrations in the soil. The statistical analysis of the questiormaire gave a high significant difference of all tested parameters (P<0.005). Other immediate effects of the refinery are expressed by the following: only 20.9% of the respondents’ income was increased by the refinery while the income of 20.9% was increased; 63.9% of the population of the area have migrated out of the study area. In addition, no expansions of education and healthcare facilities or services were added since the construction of refinery. Keywords: Impact, environmental, socioeconomic, heavy metals, migration,