Abstract
Previous studies revealed high levels of metals in soils, drinking water, foodstuffs and food animals in several communities in Tarkwa, Ghana. Therefore wild rats were trapped from 16 communities in Tarkwa to estimate the environmental pollution state of metals; determine differences in sex in metal accumulation; and assess the potential risks involved. Concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were measured in the livers and kidneys of wild rats; and livers accumulated higher levels of As than kidneys but the reverse was for Cd and Pb. In both organs, As, Cd and Zn levels were higher in female than the male rats. There was a strong positive correlation between body weight and Cd concentrations in livers and kidneys of wild rats which reflects a mechanism of protection against the development of osteopenia, although a biological effect remains a concern. Pb levels in the kidneys could cause intra nuclear inclusion bodies and karyocytomegaly in the proximal tubular cells in 29% of wild rats in Tarkwa and structural and functional kidney damage in 6%. Concentrations of As in kidneys of these wild rats could cause glomerular swelling in 9% of rats. Principal component analysis of the results showed that wild rats in Tarkwa were exposed to heavy metals and a metalloid through borehole drinking water and soils. Key words: Wild rats, heavy metal, metalloid, liver, kidney, Ghana.
Highlights
Anthropogenic activities including artisanal and smallscale gold mining have caused elevated levels of heavy metal and metalloids in the environment (Naccari et al., 2009; Licata et al, 2010)
The objectives of this study were to determine the accumulation of heavy metals and a metalloid in livers and kidneys of wild rats in Tarkwa; to determine sex differences in heavy metals and metalloid accumulation; to examine the relationship between body weight of rats and metal; to identify the possible exposure route of these metals to wild rats in Tarkwa; and to examine the potential risks heavy metals could pose to wild rats
Mean concentrations of heavy metals and a metalloid in livers of wild rats in Tarkwa decreased in the order; Zn > Cu > Mn > As > Pb > Ni > Cr > Co = Cd; and the order in the kidney was Zn > Cu > Mn > Pb > Ni > As > Cd > Co = Cr (Table 1)
Summary
Anthropogenic activities including artisanal and smallscale gold mining have caused elevated levels of heavy metal and metalloids in the environment (Naccari et al., 2009; Licata et al, 2010). Heavy metals and metalloids have a wide range of health effects including mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, immunosuppression, poor body condition, and impaired reproduction in humans and animals (Scheuhammer, 1987; Florea and Busselberg, 2006). All of these make them a serious threat to living organisms (Battaglia et al., 2005; López-Alonso et al, 2007; Naccari et al, 2009). Tarkwa mine, which is a large opencast gold mine, is situated to the northwest of the town, and Nsuta manganese mine is situated to the east
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