Effect of cement dust on the morphology and levels of some metals in Eleusine indica L. guertn and Sida acuta burn F.

The effect of cement dust on Eleusine indica L. Guertn and Sida acuta Burn F. growing around a cement factory in Nigeria have been studied. Morphological characters and levels of some nutrient elements were examined. E. indica showed decrease in length and width of leaf, length of sheath, number and length of internode. There were increases in the number of spike and stomatal frequency while stomatal size reduced. S. acuta showed increase in length and width of leaf while the lengths of stem and root reduced. There was increase in stomatal frequency, index and size for both upper and lower surfaces while trichome frequency reduced. Levels of calcium and silicon increased while level of iron reduced. Accumulation of metals was highest in the leaves than in the stems and roots in both locations for most of the samples. Cement dust led to reduced growth.