Abstract Soil samples were collected from steel markets in Kala and Mile III and a control from the Rivers State University and assessed for physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, organic matter and particle size analysis. The parameters were determined using appropriate laboratory procedures to ascertain the level of some physicochemical parameters in the soil. The results indicated that the mean value of pH of the soils ranged between 6.30±0.02-7.10±0.04, electrical conductivity ranged between 51.6±0.51-165±1.47µS/cm, organic carbon ranged between 0.269±0.00-0.432±0.00%, organic matter ranged between 0.465±0.00-0.747±0.00%. Particle size distribution analysis in the soils showed that sand ranged between 71±2.16-75±2.94%, clay ranged between 14±0.82±1.63% and silt ranged between 9±3.4-13±0.82%.The textural class of all the soils analyzed showed that they were sandy loam. The investigation revealed that the soil in the steel markets do not have the potential to support planting of crops in the near future even if the steel markets have been abandoned except fertilizer and proper manuring is applied. The results observed also showed that the soils within the steel markets have been influenced by the steel business within the area.
Keywords soil, physicochemical parameters, steel markets, organic matter, pollution.