Nyiragongo eruption 2021 and its environmental impact: volcanic ash fallout and high levels of trace metals in drinking water

Abstract

Nyiragongo (D.R. Congo) is an active volcano known for its impressive persistent lava lake within its crater, and it is recognized as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because more than two million people live on its slopes. Suddenly, on 22 May 2021, Nyiragongo produced three different lateral lava flows from the southern lower flanks, and significant amounts of volcanic gas and ash were emitted from the summit crater following the collapse of the crater floor. For a few weeks, the ash fallout impacted the main city of Goma and the numerous villages located in the vicinity of the volcano. 22 samples of volcanic ashes and 135 samples of drinking water (springs, rivers, rainwater, roof runoff) were collected before, during and after the eruption. From the leaching of the ashes and their direct observation through a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), large quantities of soluble salts (e.g. sulphates, chlorides) on their surface were identified. The results showed that most of the drinking waters collected in the downwind villages (like Rusayo, Kingi, Sake) were heavily contaminated by volcanic emissions. In fact, fluoride, chloride, sulphur, and many potentially toxic elements (PTEs), including Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, and V, exceeded the suggested World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water limits during the eruptive period, exposing the population living in villages downwind of the preferential direction of the volcanic plume, to high health risks.