Sulphate-sulphur levels of topsoils related to atmospheric sulphur dioxide pollution

Sulphate-sulphur levels were determined in topsoils from areas of varying vehicular traffic densities, population densities and industrial activities in Ibadan City, Nigeria. The factors of traffic and population densities, as well as industrial activities, had been shown to correlate positively with ambient sulphur dioxide levels.The soil-SO ₄ ⁼ levels correlated positively with gradients in the factors tested. Vehicular traffic density variations had the most pronounced and significant effect on the SO ₄ ⁼ level trend. The results indicate that soil-SO ₄ ⁼ levels may be indirectly empirically related to ambient sulphur dioxide levels derived from diffuse sources.