Abstract

Soil plots polluted with raw palm oil mill effluent (POME) were amended with organic wastes at different concentrations of 5 kg, 10 kg and 15 kg per 4m² plot of land. The plots were assessed for physicochemical properties before and after amendment over a period of two (2) months. Physicochemical properties analyzed include pH, moisture content, organic carbon, total nitrogen, mineral assay, available phosphorus, exchangeable cations and heavy metals. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in some soil physicochemical properties which were affected by the application of the raw POME by a decrease in most values. These parameters included pH (6.9-4.0), Nitrogen (0.08-0.05), Phosphorus (21.40-1.82) and effective cation exchange capacity (17.26-7.35) but the values of others improved after the addition of organic wastes. The physicochemical properties with a significant difference in increase included pH (4.0-7.0), organic matter (1.59-3.02), organic carbon (0.92-2.32), moisture (7.03-11.00) and available phosphorus (1.82-15.61). These values buttress the fact that the addition of organic wastes to oil-polluted soil improves soil quality and integrity and ultimately soil fertility for agriculture.