World Health Organization Maximum Research Articles

Exposure to Trace Elements Through <i>Rauwolfia vomitoria</i> and <i>Argemone Mexicana,</i> Two Medicinal Plants at Hahotoé-Kpogamé, a Polluted Area in Southern Togo

Background: Herbal drugs and mineral elements are well established for their therapeutic benefits against diseases and nutritional importance in human health. Medicinal plants contain toxic metabolites which, once consumed, become a formidable source of disease. Accumulation of toxic industrial effluents in soil, air and water is continuously increasing due to fast urbanization and intensive environmental pollution. Elements like lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), uranium (U), arsenic (As) which are not used by the plants directly but accumulate in the plants are detrimental to human health when consumed. This study aims to investigate the level of trace elements through the use of two medicinal plants in a polluted area in southern Togo. The trace elements analysis in the powder of the <i>Rauwolfia vomitoria</i> and <i>Argemone Mexicana</i> leaves, was carried out by the method and protocol described by Acme Laboratory using PerkinElmer ELAN 9000 Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP- MS). The result of trace elements concentrations (ppm) ranges revealed, as follows: Cadmium (0.8-1.5), Antimony (0.17-0.9), Arsenic (10.85-15.25), Lead (11.31-13.33), Iron (21.02-25.13), Manganese (84.5-140), Calcium (22.39-31.81), Zinc (73.1-82.6), Uranium (0.01-0.04) and Thorium (0.15-1.05) are significantly higher than the World Health Organization maximum permissible limit. These results suggested that the leaves of the two medicinal plants have contaminated by the trace elements. More toxicological activities need to be conduct in the area to find out the toxicity level of contaminants in herbal raw materials in the area.

Water Quality Assessment of Groundwater Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques: A Case Study of Mogadishu, Banadir Region, Somalia

This study was carried out to assess the groundwater quality around the Mogadishu area, Banadir region, Somalia. Multivariate statistical techniques such as factor analysis (FA), principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA)were applied to 22 groundwater samples collected from boreholes and dug wells in the coastal line districts namely: Wadajir, Kaxda and Dharkinley districts of Banadir region, Somalia. Correlations among 14 hydrochemical parameters were statistically examined. A two-factor model is suggested and explains over 82.4% of the total groundwater quality variation. Factor Analysis (FA) revealed significant variables including electrical conductivity (EC), pH value and other parameters such as K<sup>+</sup>, Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, Na<sup>+</sup>, SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup> and hardness expressed as CaCO<sub>3</sub>, Chlorine, Fluoride, B, S, Si, and NO<sub>3</sub> which are responsible for variations in groundwater quality and affect water chemistry. The results were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standard guidelines. Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to create the spatial distribution maps of water quality parameters. Cluster Analysis (CA) grouped all sites into three zones based on spatial similarities and dissimilarities of physiochemical properties. The pH value and Boron, fluoride calcium, magnesium, sulfide, potassium, and Silica are well within the desirable limit at all locations. However, the concentration of conductivity chloride, hardness as CaCO<sub>3</sub>, sulfate, nitrate, and Sodium in all samples exceeded the desirable WHO maximum permissible limit. The study reveals that the groundwater quality changed due to anthropogenic and natural influences such as natural weathering processes. As a result of this the qualities of the boreholes and dug well water samples were therefore not suitable for human consumption without adequate treatment. Regular monitoring of groundwater quality, abolishing unhealthy waste disposal practices, and introducing modern techniques are recommended.

Assumptions on Health Risks in Consuming Vermonia amygdalina and Fruits (Musa sp.) in Koko, Nigeria

The unified potential of plants to absorb nutrients from soil, air, and water, including their natural surrounding habitat, makes them efficient in translocating nutrients and absorbing pollutants to the leaves, fruits, and other edible parts. Composite soil and two plants, Vermonia amygdalina and Musa sp., were selected from two areas (area 1 and area 2), respectively, in Koko, Nigeria. Both samples were analyzed using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, gas chromatography, and a soxhlet extractor for heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins, respectively. Techniques applied were arithmetic mean, contamination factor, potential ecological risk index, and toxicity equivalence. Results revealed high mean concentrations of cadmium for plants in Area 1 (5.9022 mg/kg) and Area 2 (5.0172 mg/kg), respectively. The contamination factor showed a higher value in plants for cadmium in area 1 (5.9022 mg/kg) than in area 2 (5.017 mg/kg). The same was observed in the ecological risk index, as cadmium was concentrated more in plants (1.1612 mg/kg) in area 1 than (0.84 mg/kg) in area 2. PCBs recorded a high amount of mean in plants (14.095 ppb) for area 1 and 14.91 ppb in plants for area 2. The contamination factor in PCBs was the same in both areas, with area 1 recording 1409.5 ppb in plants and area 2 recording 1491 ppb in soil. The ecological risk index for plants was 496.7 ppb in plants for area 1 and 555.8 ppb in soil for area 2. Toxicity in dioxins exceeded the World Health Organization maximum limits, with Polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins having the highest toxicity of 42.88 ppb in V. amygdalina and 9.69 ppb in Musa sp. Anthropogenic sources of pollutants such as shipping, oil transportation, power plant facilities, bitumen production, and lubricants remain key driving stressors that contribute to the destruction of plant ecology in Koko. The knowledge of the compounds constituting the make-up of these products in both plants reflects the health risks and hazards in the town. Hence, awareness and ecological monitoring of the area need a continuous program to minimize health hazards in Koko.

Lead and Cadmium Levels in Water, Surficial Sediments, and Edible Biota of Urban Rivers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, During Two Seasons

This study evaluated levels and seasonal patterns of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in sediment, water, and mudskippers (Periophthalmus argentilineatus) from urban rivers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The samples were seasonally collected from 15 locations, treated as appropriate, and analyzed instrumentally. The study intended to establish contamination levels, identify hotspots, and assess ecological and human health risks. The results indicated that Cd concentrations were lower than Pb in all the sample matrices. In water samples, Pb levels (0.7 to 24.0 mg/L, n = 30, mean = 7.2 ± 6.5) were higher than both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Tanzanian Bureau of Standards limits, whereas Cd was below the detection limit. In sediment samples, both the Pb concentrations (9.0 to 159.3 mg/kg, n = 30, mean = 44.7 ± 36.6) and the Cd concentrations (0.03 to 0.82 mg/kg, n = 30, mean = 0.24 ± 0.14) exceeded sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. The mudskipper samples contained levels below the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and WHO maximum permissible limits. This indicated that they were safe for human consumption. Metal concentrations in water and sediments were lower during the dry season than in the wet season, probably owing to contaminated runoff from land-use practices during the wet season, whereas the mudskipper samples showed the opposite pattern. Determination of the potential contamination index (PCI) in samples enabled the identification of two hotspots that may need intervention. Evaluation of chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI) implied minimal health risks. Contamination of the rivers by these toxic metals, be it in low concentrations, is an issue of concern.

Heavy Metal Concentration and Human Health Risk Assessment of Selected Brands of Seasoning Powder Sold in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Seasoning powders are frequently used to enhance the taste, aroma, color and overall acceptability of food by consumers. Different brands of seasoning powder are frequently consumed without adequate human health risk assessment of the heavy metals constituents in them. This study was conducted to determine the heavy metal concentration in four (4) brands of seasoning powder (SP1, SP2, SP3 and SP4) sold in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Ten (10) heavy metals (As, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd, Fe, Co, Cu, Mn and V) were analyzed by standard methods using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Model: GBC 908PBMT). Human Health Risk Assessment of heavy metals in the seasoning powders, taken in through ingestion route, was evaluated by computing the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Quotient (HQ), Hazard Index (HI) and Cancer Risk (CR) based on adult human model variables provided by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The results showed that mean concentration of Pb and Cd were 6.35 ± 1.07 mg/kg and 0.53 ± 0.09 mg/kg respectively which are above the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL) of 5.0 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg respectively. Concentration of Fe, Co, Cu, Mn, and V were below the MPL and As and Cr were not detected in all the samples assessed.EDI for the measured heavy metals were less than the tolerable limits specified by USEPA. The HQ and HI values were within acceptable range of <1 except for SP2 with HI value of 1.04. The results obtained for CR were above the specified acceptable range of 1.0 x10-6 to1.0 x 10-4. These results suggest possible health concerns associated with the consumption of these seasoning powders in the long term. Strict and systematic surveillance of heavy metals such as Pb and Cd in commonly consumed seasoning powder should be done to ensure safety and quality of the seasoning powders sold in Nigeria. Keywords: Seasoning powder, Heavy metals, Bio-toxicity, Hazard index, Cancer risk.

Protocol for the implementation and evaluation of a community-based behavior change intervention to reduce dietary salt intake in India.

Excess dietary salt intake is well established as a leading cause of high blood pressure and associated cardiovascular disease, yet current salt intake in India is nearly 11g per day, more than twice World Health Organization maximum recommended intake of 5g per day. Although dietary survey data from India indicate that the main sources of dietary salt are salt added during cooking at home, and few salt reduction efforts have focused on interventions at the household level. As a result, there is little evidence of the effectiveness of behavior change programs to reduce salt intake at the household level. The study aims to develop and implement a community based behavioral change intervention to reduce salt intake delivered by front line community-based health volunteers; and evaluate the preliminary effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of delivering a salt reduction behavior change program and potential to support future scale-up. The study is a pre-post intervention design, and outcomes will be evaluated from a random sample of 1500 participants from 28 villages in two primary health centers in Siddipet, Telangana. Primary outcome is change in salt-related KAB (knowledge, attitude, and behavior) score, and secondary outcomes will be changes in salt intake measured by 24h urinary sodium excretion and change in scores using the subscales of the COM-B ("capability", "opportunity", "motivation" and "behavior") tool. Findings will be used to inform future public health policies to support implementation of scalable community-based interventions to reduce salt intake and control hypertension, the leading-cause of death in India.

Assessment physical-chemical and biological properties of industrial wastewater in Al-Kut textile factory

Most developing countries that bypass rivers are concerned about water pollutants. Water quality within the permissible limits for agricultural, industrial, and drinking reasons is a difficult problem to solve. On the basis of their importance, ten physical and chemical parameters were chosen for this investigation from Al Kut textile factory. For the last eight years, physical-chemical parameters measurements of water samples have been researched for ten parameters are total dissolved solids TDS, TSS, Tur., Electrical conductivity, sulfate SO4, Chloride, Phosphate, COD, DO and biological oxygen demand BOD5. The findings of the water quality examination were compared to the World Health Organization's maximum permitted limit concentration and Iraqi limitations spastically. Moreover, the water quality parameters were gradually decreased according to the findings. Results shows the annual variation of Al-Kut TSS concentration with decreasing rate of (71%), Turbidity concentration with decreasing rate of (11.44%), Chloride and Phosphate concentrations within its decreasing rate of 50 % and 70.23 % respectively during the study period of the last eight years. While the average BOD5 values decrease in concentration and the annual variation of Al-Kut DO concentration within its decreasing rate of (51%) during the study period of the last eight years.

Determination of heavy metals and essential minerals in water, soil and edible plant samples from the vicinity of ankpa coal mine, kogi state

This research work determined the physicochemical properties (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids and total suspended solids) of water, heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) and essential minerals ( P, Ca, K, Mg and Na) in water, plant and soil samples collected from the vicinity of Ankpa Coal mine, Kogi State. The heavy metals were analyzed using a Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer machine and the essential minerals analyzed using Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrophotometer machine. Results obtained for physical parameters of water are within the ranges; pH (4.51-6.91), temperature (19.8-26.5˚C), electrical conductivity (110-210 µs/cm), TDS (7.0-13 mg/l) and TSS (0-1.5 mg/l). The heavy metals concentration in water are as follows; Cd (ND), Pb (0.001-0.077 mg/l), Cr (0.028-3.459 mg/l), Cu (0.09-0.057 mg/l) and Zn (0.050-0.161 mg/l). In plants, Cd (ND), Pb (0.043-0.096 mg/kg), Cr (0.138-0.325 mg/kg), Cu (0.139-0.153 mg/kg) and Zn (0.150-0.510 mg/kg). In soils, Cd (ND), Pb (0.127-0.664 mg/kg), Cr (1.206-4.718 mg/kg), Cu (0.155-0.934 mg/kg) and Zn (0.00-0.400 mg/kg). Results obtained for essential minerals ranged as follows; In water, P (0.19-43.31 mg/l), Ca (5.75-158.63 mg/l), K (5.04-32.28 mg/l), Mg (1.98-11.34 mg/l) and Na (10.70-28.29 mg/l). In plants, P (15.12-23.90 mg/kg), Ca (30.13-144.44 mg/kg), K (64.10-119.06 mg/kg), Mg (10.38-25.69 mg/kg) and Na (0.94-3.55 mg/kg). In soil, P (180.01-1879.51 mg/kg), Ca (11.61-85.18 mg/kg), K (3.02-114.98 mg/kg), Mg (2.59-14.05 mg/kg) and Na (8.24-15.03 mg/kg). The results were compared with the maximum permissible limit (MPL) set by World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and recommended dietary intake set by Food and Nutrition Board (FNB). The physicochemical parameters were all within WHO maximum permissible limit for drinking water. Lead and Cr exceeded the MPL set for drinking water, all heavy metals were within set limit for plants. Lead, Cu and Chromium exceeded the MPL set for soil. The essential minerals in all samples were compared to recommended dietary intake (RDI). Correlation analysis was done using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. In plants Zn correlated positively with Ca (0.9298), K (0.7860) and Mg (0.9967) and in soil samples Cu correlated positively with P (0.8212), K (0.8191) and Na (0.8658), Cr correlated positively with P (0.9911), K (0.9915) and Na (0.8363) and Lead correlated positively with P (0.9734), K (0.9905) and Na (0.7948). It can be inferred from this result that Ankpa coal mine has negatively impacted its vicinity.

Physico-chemical analysis of the quality of sachet water and their source point sold in Bwari Area Council Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Monitoring of the physicochemical water quality parameters plays a vital role in assessing the water environment, and restoring water quality. This study was conducted to assess the physicochemical parameters of four brand of sachet water, and their source points using standard methods of American Public Health Association (APHA). The values for physical parameters which include temperature, colour, turbidity, total dissolved solid, and conductivity were all within the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limit for both the source of water and sachet water. Chemical parameters include pH, chloride ion, electrical conductivity and alkalinity were also all within the WHO limit except total hardness which had a value of 222 mg/L for source of water (brand A) which was above the 200 mg/L limit of the WHO. The analysis of the heavy metals showed that iron and cadmium were not detected in all the samples analyzed, chromium was only found in brand A, with 0.10mg/mL for the source of water and 0.12 mg/L for the sachet water and this was above the WHO maximum contamination level of 0.05 mg/ml. Copper was found in all the samples ranging from 0.19 - 0.27 mg/ml for the source of water while a range of 0.15 - 0.24 mg/ml was recorded for the sachet water. There was no significant difference (p≥0.05) in the values of heavy metals obtained. The values recorded for the source of water in this study was higher than the values for sachet water for most of the physicochemical parameters analyzed which could indicate that there is an effect of the treatment process on the sachet water.

Impacts of Trace Metals Pollution of Water, Food Crops, and Ambient Air on Population Health in Zambia and the DR Congo.

Zambia and the DR Congo are situated in the central African Copperbelt, which is part of the Lufilian geological structure arc stretching over from Kolwezi in Katanga Province in the DRC to Luanshya in Copperbelt Province in Zambia. The area has large copper-cobalt deposits of which the extraction causes severe ecosystem damage due to pollution of water, food crops, and the ambient air negatively impacting population health. Contamination of drinking water for domestic use and foods (cereals, roots and tubers, vegetables, and fruits) was determined by assessing the contents of trace metals including Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Co, As, U, Cd, and Cu and through a questionnaire for environmental damage. Food samples were analyzed by inductively coupled argon plasma/optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), while water and urine samples were analyzed by inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrations of Ni, Pb, and Cd were higher in almost all food crops, although Cu was more in samples of Cucurbita maxima and Amaranthus hybridus. Mean contents (μg/L) of Mn, Zn, Cd, Pb, and U were, respectively, 5,454.6, 2552.2, 138.7, 39.7, 2361.1, and 21.4 in the DRC and 108.9, 543.3, 0.3, 0.2, 1.5, and 0.5 in Zambia, being significantly higher and always far above World Health Organization maximum limits in the DRC. Urine samples taken only from the DRC contained trace metals with children's samples being more contaminated than adult ones. Our results conclusively echo the most critical challenges of toxic pollutants causing numerous health issues among the population. Given an outcry among households adjacent to mines about land degradation and food spoilage, and health problems over years, joint efforts are needed from public and private sectors for stringent mining exploitation monitoring for sustainable governance to protect the environment and ensure food and nutrition safety, and population well-being in Zambia and the DR Congo.

18 F-FET PET maximum standard uptake value and WHO tumour classification grade in glioma.

In the area of oncology, molecular imaging techniques are becoming increasingly utilised. In neuro-oncology imaging, 18 Fluoro-O-(2) fluoroethyl-L-tyrosine (18 F-FET) is one of the molecular tracers used in positron-emission tomography (PET). Here, we investigated the correlation between maximum standard uptake value (SUV) of 18 F-FET PET and histologically determined World Health Organization (WHO) grade in glioma. This was a retrospective review of all 18 F-FET PET studies conducted between August 2014 and August 2019. Review was conducted to identify imaging studies performed on patients who had a glioma with histopathology results from surgical resection or biopsy available. A total of 31 18 F-FET PET studies of histologically confirmed glioma were included. WHO grades ranged from II-IV. A positive correlation between maximum SUV uptake on 18 F-FET PET and WHO grade was observed. There was a correlation identified between WHO glioma grade and maximum SUV on 18 F-FET PET. Further studies are recommended to explore this relationship.

Assessment of Some Heavy Metals and Physico-Chemical Parameters of Surface Water of Matara-Uku Wetlands

The study assessed the levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and some heavy metals in Matara-Uku wetland. Twenty water samples were collected from surface water of Matara-Uku using polyethene plastic container, the physicochemical parameters of the samples were measured and the samples were analyzed for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and heavy metals. Results from physicochemical analysis are obtained as; pH (7.6 – 8.0), total dissolve solid (70.82 - 84.26 mg/l), electric conductivity (105.0 – 163.0 μs/cm) and temperature (24.4 – 25.4ºC). All the results are in line with World Health Organization standard of 6.5 - 8.5, <600 mg/l, 400 μs/cm and ambient temperature respectively. The Nitrogen and phosphorous were analyzed using UV- Visible spectrophotometer. From the results, it was found that all the samples had Nitrogen level below the World Health Organization maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L with a mean concentration range (0.2293 ± 0.0057) mg/L to (2.2455 ± 0.0216) mg/L. Phosphorus was also analyzed and the results indicated that all the sampling sites had phosphorus level above the WHO maximum contaminant level of 0.03 mg/L with a mean concentration range (3.8208 ± 0.4109) mg/L to (4.56 ± 0.1325) mg/L. The water samples were digested using concentrated HCl and HNO3, in which the digested samples were used for heavy metals analysis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The mean concentrations of the heavy metals analyzed were between the ranges Pb (0.1272 ± 0.0445) mg/L to (0.2727 ± 0.1285) mg/L, Cd (0.0026 ± 0.0024) mg/L to (0.0053 ± 0.0054) mg/L and Ni (0.0705 ± 0.0235) mg/L to (0.1411 ± 0.0819) mg/L respectively. Concentrations of Cd and Ni are generally below the maximum permissible limit of 0.03 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L, whereas concentrations of Pb exceeded the maximum permissible limit of 0.01 mg/L for surface water. It was concluded that the surface water of Matara-Uku is polluted with respect to Pb, which is known to bio-accumulate and even undergo bio-magnification in organisms such as fishes and even plants with serious health implications to human being.

Hydrogeochemical and isotopic controls on the source of fluoride in groundwater within the Vea catchment, northeastern Ghana

Groundwater consumption is considered as a major exposure route to fluoride in humans. Therefore, this study unraveled the sources and sinks of groundwater fluoride in the Vea catchment of northeastern Ghana using an integration of litho-petrography, hydrogeochemical analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, and stable isotope analysis. In this regard, 70 groundwater samples were collected from boreholes and analyzed for major ions and stable isotopes using standard procedures whilst 10 rock samples were collected from the crystalline basement rocks of the Birimian Supergroup and used for the petrographic studies. The petrographic results revealed the dominance of quartz, microcline, plagioclase (albite), biotite, muscovite and hornblende in the lithological units. The order of dominance of fluoride in the various lithologies is K-feldspar-rich granitoid > hornblende-biotite granitoid > basaltic flow > hornblende-biotite tonalite > hornblende biotite granodiorite > biotite granitoid. The groundwater fluoride concentrations varied from 0.35 to 3.95 mg/L with a mean concentration of 1.68 mg/L. Almost 61% of the samples have fluoride concentrations above the World Health Organization's maximum permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L. Groundwater is supersaturated with respect to albite due to silicate weathering and undersaturated with respect to fluorite and calcite. This enhanced ion exchange and fluoride mobilization in the groundwater from progressive calcite precipitation. The fluoride concentrations show positive correlations with Na+, Mg2+, HCO3−, and SO42−, confirming that fluoride enrichment is due to silicate weathering and ion exchange reactions. The δ18O and δ2H values with respect to V-SMOW vary between −4.15 and −2.75‰ and −22.49 and −13.74‰, respectively suggesting considerable isotopic variation of the groundwater. Enriched isotopic composition is observed with low fluoride concentration whilst depleted isotopic composition is observed with a higher concentration of fluoride in groundwater. The stable isotopic compositions of the groundwater also indicated meteoric origin with an evaporative effect, which partly influences the groundwater chemistry.

Effects of Depth and Seasons on the Physicochemical and Bacteriological Quality of Selected Well Water Samples in Awka Urban, Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: The people of Awka urban show an increasing trend of using well water resulting to unreliable and quality-compromised water supply.
 Aim: Effects of depth and seasons on the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of selected well water samples in Awka urban, Anambra State was conducted to determine their quality and suitability for domestic uses. A total of thirty shallow and deep well water samples were collected during the rainy and dry seasons.
 Methods: Physicochemical analysis was carried out using standard analytical methods. The total bacterial count was determined by dilution method.
 Results: Some of the physicochemical parameters (PH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, cadmium, lead and arsenic) exceeded the World Health Organization maximum containment levels indicating that the samples were unfit for domestic uses. The bacterial counts ranged from 2.66 to 3.26 logcfu/ml during the rainy season and 2.54 to 3.20 logcfu/ml during the dry season. The total coliform counts also exceeded the W.H.O levels. Citrobacter freundii, Shigella flexneri, Serratia marcescens, Proteus vulgaris, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were isolated during both seasons and identified using standard analytical procedures. The bacterium that had the highest frequency of occurrence during the rainy season was Citrobacter freundii (16.55%) while Salmonella typhi had the highest frequency of occurrence during the dry season (17.69%) respectively. Proteus vulgaris had the least frequency of occurrence 5.41% and 4.62% during the rainy and dry seasons respectively. The results were analyzed statistically using two-way analysis of variance. Higher bacterial counts were recorded in rainy season and shallow wells than dry season and deeper wells.
 Conclusion: The presence of these bacteria above admissible limits showed that the water lacked proper water management services and may be harmful to humans. There is therefore a need to monitor the well water quality by employing better sanitary practices and subjecting the waters through various forms of water treatments before use to help prevent disease outbreak.

Assessing Potable Water Quality and Identifying Areas of Waterborne Diarrheal and Fluorosis Health Risks Using Spatial Interpolation in Peshawar, Pakistan

Waterborne diseases have become one of the major public health concerns worldwide. This study is aimed to investigate and develop spatial distribution mapping of the potable water quality parameters in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 108 water samples collected across the entire study area were subjected to physio-chemical and biological analyses. Tested parameters included pH, turbidity, temperature, fluoride concentration levels, and bacterial counts (faecal coliforms). Inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation in geographic information systems (GIS) was used for spatial analysis. Test results revealed that 48% of water samples had faecal coliforms count (per 100 mL) greater than World Health Organization (WHO) minimum limits, while 31% of samples had fluoride concentrations in excess of the WHO maximum guide values. Spatial distribution mapping was developed for faecal coliforms count and fluoride ion concentration using ArcGIS to highlight the high-risk settlements in the study area. Results showed that around 20% area under faecal coliforms and approximately 33% area based on fluoride concentrations fall under the need for treatment category. The pH and turbidity were found in compliance with WHO desirable limits. The sanitary inspection score significantly depicted that ineffective multi-barrier approaches consequently deteriorated the water quality at the consumer’s end. Findings from the present study shall be useful to policymakers for adopting necessary remedial measures before it severely affects public health.

A Zinc Metal-Organic Framework for Concurrent Adsorption and Detection of Uranium.

Uranium is one of the principal raw materials in the nuclear industry, but if released into the natural environment, it also poses latent health risks to mankind. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a strategy that can concurrently detect and adsorb uranium to realize the sustainable development of nuclear power and protect the environment. In this work, a fluorescent zinc-based metal-organic framework (HNU-50) was designed and synthesized for the effective detection and extraction of U(VI). The amide groups on N-pyridin-4-ylpyridine-4-carboxamide ligands and two uncoordinated carboxyl oxygen atoms on pyromellitic acid ligands in HNU-50 provide potential uranium-binding sites. Consequently, HNU-50 is competent of selectively and efficiently catching uranyl ions, achieving an optimum adsorption capacity of 632 mg/g. Additionally, the adsorption of U(VI) results in fluorescence quenching of HNU-50, thus allowing sensitive and selective detection of U(VI) by fluorescence change. Note that HNU-50 exhibits a considerably low detection limit of 1.2 × 10-8 M for U(VI) in aqueous solution, which is below the World Health Organization maximum pollution standards for potable water (6.3 × 10-8 M).

Lead in Potable Water Sources in Anambra State, South East, Nigeria

Introduction: Due to lack of treated water supply in major cities and settlements in Anambra state, Nigeria, majority of the population obtain potable water directly from boreholes, streams, sachet, harvested rain, and well water sources. Lead‑laden potable water may be a major cause of mortality and morbidity in Anambra state, Nigeria. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the presence of lead in potable water sources in Anambra state, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Water samples were systematically collected from 81 water sampling sites in different senatorial zones of the state. Lead was estimated in the water samples using Varian AA240 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: The mean levels of lead in the water samples in all the senatorial zones of the state were higher than the maximum contaminant limit (0.01 mg/L) set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The mean level of lead in harvested rain, sachet, and stream waters (0.34 ± 0.23, 0.37 ± 0.08, and 0.23 ± 0.06 mg/L, respectively) was higher in Anambra South senatorial zone compared to the WHO maximum contaminant limit. Furthermore, Anambra South has higher (P < 0.001) mean lead level compared to the North and Central senatorial zones. Conclusion: This study reveals significantly high lead levels in potable water sources in Anambra state, Nigeria. The water samples should be well treated to remove this harmful toxic heavy metal which is very dangerous to health. Keywords: Anambra state, lead, Nigeria, potable water.

Integrated physicochemical and hydrogeochemical assessment to groundwater quality in Obosi and Onitsha provinces, South-eastern Nigeria

An integrated physicochemical and hydrogeochemical assessment was carried out at an automobile junk market in Obosi and in residential areas in Anambra State, south-eastern Nigeria to examine the concentration of heavy metals in the groundwater and determine the quality of the water for drinking and other domestic purposes. Forty groundwater samples were collected from boreholes and hand-dug wells (three samples from Obosi and the rest from Onitsha). They were subjected to atomic absorption spectrometry using standard field and laboratory techniques and analysed for physicochemical and hydrogeochemical parameters. Results show that the groundwater in the study area is slightly acidic to neutral, soft to moderately hard when compared with the World Health Organization maximum allowable concentration values and the Nigerian Standards for Drinking Water Quality. The electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand ranged from 58 to 1796 μS/cm, 6.78 to 8.76 and 0.17 to 1.50 mg/L, respectively. Heavy metal concentrations measured (in ppm) in the water included nickel, manganese, copper and zinc and varied from 0 to 1.82, 0 to 0.195, 0 to 0.325 and 0 to 0.09, respectively, while heavy metal concentrations in the soil measured (in ppm) included iron, lead and cadmium and varied from 0 to 3.87, 0 to 1.80 and 0 to 7.38 mg/kg, respectively. Statistical results gave significant correlation (at 0.05) between electrical conductivity and total hardness, biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen, and several others elements. The study helps in the understanding of the chemistry of groundwater for long-term monitoring and management for the local community.

Addressing technical barriers for reliable, safe removal of fluoride from drinking water using minimally processed bauxite ores

Throughout the developing world, over 200 million people drink groundwater containing fluoride concentrations surpassing the World Health Organization's maximum recommended contaminant level (WHO-MCL) of 1.5 mg F−/L, resulting in adverse health effects ranging from mottled tooth enamel to debilitating skeletal fluorosis.Existing technologies to remove fluoride from water, such as reverse osmosis and filtration with activated alumina, are expensive and are not accessible for low-income communities. Our group and others have demonstrated that minimally-processed bauxite ores can remove fluoride to safe levels at a fraction of the cost of activated alumina. We report results from testing for some technical challenges that may arise in field deployment of this technology at large scale, particularly in a sufficiently robust manner for application in development contexts. Anticipating possible modes of failure and addressing these challenges in advance in the laboratory is particularly important for technologies for vulnerable communities where the opportunity to re-launch pilot projects is limited and small failures can keep solutions from the people that need them most.This work addresses three potential technical barriers to reliable removal of fluoride from drinking water with bauxite ore from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. We evaluate competition from co-occurring ions, adsorption reversibility, and potability of the product water with regards to leaching of undesirable ions during treatment with various adsorbent materials including raw and thermally activated bauxite, and synthetic gibbsite (a simple model system). Under the conditions tested, the presence of phosphate significantly impacts fluoride adsorption capacity on all adsorbents. Sulfate impacts fluoride adsorption on gibbsite, but not on either bauxite adsorbent. Nitrate and silicate (as silicic acid), tested only with gibbsite, do not affect fluoride adsorption capacity. Both thermally activated bauxite and gibbsite show non-reversible adsorption of fluoride at a pH of 6. Raw bauxite leached arsenic and manganese in a TCLP leaching test at levels indicating the need for ongoing monitoring of treated water, but not precluding safe deployment of bauxite as a fluoride remediation technology. Understanding these phenomena is crucial to ensure field deployment over large diverse geographical areas with aquifers varying in groundwater composition, and for ensuring that the appropriate engineering processes are designed for field implementation of this innovation.

Lead in potable water sources in Anambra State, South East, Nigeria

Introduction: Due to lack of treated water supply in major cities and settlements in Anambra state, Nigeria, majority of the population obtain potable water directly from boreholes, streams, sachet, harvested rain, and well water sources. Lead‑laden potable water may be a major cause of mortality and morbidity in Anambra state, Nigeria. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the presence of lead in potable water sources in Anambra state, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Water samples were systematically collected from 81 water sampling sites in different senatorial zones of the state. Lead was estimated in the water samples using Varian AA240 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: The mean levels of lead in the water samples in all the senatorial zones of the state were higher than the maximum contaminant limit (0.01 mg/L) set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The mean level of lead in harvested rain, sachet, and stream waters (0.34 ± 0.23, 0.37 ± 0.08, and 0.23 ± 0.06 mg/L, respectively) was higher in Anambra South senatorial zone compared to the WHO maximum contaminant limit. Furthermore, Anambra South has higher (P < 0.001) mean lead level compared to the North and Central senatorial zones. Conclusion: This study reveals significantly high lead levels in potable water sources in Anambra state, Nigeria. The water samples should be well treated to remove this harmful toxic heavy metal which is very dangerous to health. Keywords: Anambra state, lead, Nigeria, potable water.