Health Implications of Polluted Tilapia Consumption – The Perception of Fosu Lagoon Fishermen in Cape Coast, Ghana

It has long been posited that the Fosu Lagoon, located in Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana, is among polluted lagoons in the West African Coastal Zone.  The lagoon is a habitat of many aquatic fishes, the most popular among is tilapia with zoological name saratherodon melanotheron of the chiclid family.  Tilapia continues to be fished from this polluted lagoon in spite of the fact that the fishesare polluted with lead and cadmium.This paper looks at the perception of fishermen who fish in the lagoon with regards to effects of consumption of the tilapia on their health. The purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used in selecting the sample population.  Interview schedule and observation tools were applied in soliciting data from the fishermen.  Both open and closed ended questions were posed in the schedule.SPSS 13 was used for the analysis. The descriptive method of analysis was employed. Results gathered showed that fishermen did not have any idea on translocation of toxic heavy metals from water through the food chain to humans. On the average 75.5 percent of the fishermendid not perceive that tilapia consumption had negative health implications. However over 90 percent of the subjects consumed between 78g and 500g of tilapia per week. The paper recommends that medical personnel, particularly, doctors must be involved in educating the fishermen on the health implications that may arise in the consumption of tilapia from the Fosu lagoon.  Vernacular, particularly the local dialect, would be the most appropriate medium of communication in the education process. Keywords: cadmium, health, lead, perception, pollution.

Seasonal first flush phenomenon and environmental impacts of a number of heavy metals in stormwater discharges in the Witwatersrand area

South Africa’s available freshwater resources are almost fully-utilised and under stress. Water will increasingly become the limiting resource in South Africa, and supply will become a major restriction for the future socio-economic development of the country, in terms of both the amount and quality of water available (Harris et al., 1999). At present, many water resources contain large amounts of pollutants, such as dissolved metal elements (metals and metal compounds that occur in a dissolved state in water), particulate-bound metal elements (metals and metal compounds that are attached to particles such as sand), and suspended, colloidal and volatile fractions of these particulates (Sansalone et al., 1996; Su & Mitchell, 2003). Pollutants interfere with the normal life cycle functions of organisms living in or which are dependent on the water source. These pollutants originate from a variety of point and non-point sources. Among the most significant point sources are industrial waste disposal sites, municipal landfills, and leaking septic tanks. Non-point sources, on the other hand, include agricultural runoff, mine drainage, highway runoff, and runoff from lawns and natural areas. It is therefore necessary to monitor the levels of pollutants in the water to determine if the concentrations are within legal limits, and to implement strategies to mitigate the detrimental impacts of these pollutants on the environment (Miller, 2000). The transport of anthropogenic pollutants by rainfall runoff from highways, in particular, has the potential to adversely impact the quality of adjacent receiving waters and soils (Su & Mitchell, 2003). These pollutants result from traffic activities (such as tire wear and brake wear), thus being dependent on the amount of traffic; and are accumulated on roadways before it is washed away by precipitation (McKenzie & Irwin, 1983; Sansalone et al., 1996; Su & Mitchell, 2003). During the rising limb of the runoff hydrograph, often disproportionately large amounts of both the dissolved and particulate-bound fractions of these heavy metal pollutants are washed off the highway surface, causing peak concentrations of contaminants in rainfall runoff. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as the seasonal first flush, where the initial stage of a storm event contains a large percentage of total pollution (accumulated in the preceding dry season) in a relatively small percentage of runoff volume (Sansalone et al., 1996; Lee et al., 2004; Kim et al., 2005). Such large concentrations of heavy metals introduced into the environment in a short amount of time can have immediate toxic effects, but, since heavy metal elements do not degrade in the environment, they can also accumulate and have long-term toxic effects caused by mass accumulation in plants, animals and humans (Sansalone et al., 1996; Miller, 2000; Arthur, 2004; Kirkby & Römheld, 2004). However, a number of these heavy metals are also crucial in maintaining normal health in humans, animals and plants (Arthur, 2004; Kirkby & Römheld, 2004). Therefore, the primary objectives of this study are to discuss the phenomenon of the seasonal first flush of highway runoff; describe possible environmental effects of too low and too high levels of heavy metals, with reference to relevant legislation concerning water pollution; describe possible best management practices (BMP’s) to lessen the effects of too high levels of heavy metals; describe the study area and why it was chosen; identify shortcomings of the study; collect and analyse relevant data for the last five years (1999 – 2005) to determine if the first flush phenomenon is present for selected heavy metals (aluminium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, and zinc); identify the main heavy metals present in runoff in this area; propose improvements to future highway monitoring projects; and recommend mitigation strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of heavy metals. It was found, using water quality data from Rand Water, that cadmium and copper were not detected at the selected study sites; however it is possible that some aluminium, chromium and lead were present in particulate form. Seasonal first flush was detected for cobalt, manganese, nickel, iron and zinc during most rainy seasons. It was also found that the concentrations of these metals were usually high above the regulation limits for irrigation, aquacultural purposes, aquatic ecosystem health, livestock watering and domestic use throughout the season. Therefore, the results of this study have shown that roads provide a significant contribution of heavy metals to nearby rivers, consequently justifying the need for further study. It is recommended that a monitoring system be designed to collect more accurate information so as to be able to research, plan and implement mitigation strategies, such as Best Management Practices (BMP’s) to improve water quality and lessen the negative effect these metals have on the environment.Dr. J.M. Meeuwis Dr. J.L. Fische

South African Mine Effluents: Heavy Metal Pollution and Impact on the Ecosystem

Published ArticleSouth Africa embarks on extensive mining activities, which consequently produce enormous quantities of toxic HMs1 that pollute the surroundings; subjecting the ecosystem to dangers of infections and diseases. Prevalence of HMs in different environmental media and their impact depend on the physical and chemical states of the metal, which tends to persist in their localities because they cannot be biologically or chemically degraded as with organic substances. Mine fugitive dust clouds the environment; in most cases causing irrevocable damage to the biota, with harmful metals usually transferred from water bodies to the food chain via assimilation, bioaccumulation and biomethylation processes

Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Soils: Health Impacts on Humans and Plants: A Review

This research looks at how the growth of cities and industries affects the levels of heavy metals in the soil, which can impact people's health. We find out where the pollution comes from, such as factories, car fumes, and improper waste disposal, by reviewing existing studies. We use different methods to test the soil for heavy metals and study how exposure to these metals in urban areas affects people's health. The evidence shows a connection between high levels of heavy metals in city soil and health problems like breathing issues, brain disorders, and overall toxicity in the body. We also explore how these metals get into the human body, highlighting the importance of understanding how they are available and the ways people are exposed. To deal with polluted city soils, we look at different ways to manage the soil and suggest sustainable methods to reduce heavy metal pollution. Our discoveries add to what we know about urban environmental health, emphasizing the need for actions to protect city residents. Ultimately, this study aims to give important information and insights to policymakers, city planners, and public health officials for managing and lessening the health risks linked to heavy metal contamination in urban soils.&nbsp

Microplastics and copper induce apoptosis, alter neurocircuits, and cause behavioral changes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain

The knowledge regarding the neurological and behavioral toxic effects associated with microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals exposure is still scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential chronic (30 days) toxic effects of MPs (2 mg/L) and copper (Cu, 25 μg/L), alone or combined, in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain antioxidant system, cell proliferation/death, cholinergic-, serotonergic- and dopaminergic pathways and, consequently, in locomotor, anxiety, and social behaviors. Our findings showed that MPs and Cu exposure modulated the antioxidant system of zebrafish brain, with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) having higher activity in the Cu25 +MPs group, but glutathione peroxidase (GPx) being inhibited in MPs, Cu25 and Cu25 +MPs. Moreover, an increase in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was observed in all exposed groups. When considering neurogenesis genes, a downregulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pcna) was noticed in zebrafish exposed to the mixture treatment, while for dopaminergic system-related genes (th and slc6a3) an upregulation was observed in MPs, Cu25 and Cu25 +MPs groups. An increase in apoptosis-related genes expression (casp8, casp9 and casp3) was observed in the MPs exposed group. Changes in zebrafish behavior, particularly in mean speed, total distance moved, inactivity in the aquaria, and social/shoaling behavior was also observed in the MPs and Cu exposed groups. Overall, our results highlight the multiplicity of toxic effects of MPs, alone or combined with Cu, in zebrafish brain, namely apoptosis and alterations in adult neurogenesis, neurocircuits and, consequently, behavior.Versión del editor2,29

Toxic metal implications on agricultural soils, plants, animals, aquatic life and human health

Abstract:Theproblemofenvironmentalpollutionisaglobalconcernasitaffectstheentireecosystem. There is a cyclic revolution of pollutants from industrial waste or anthropogenic sources into the environment, farmlands, plants, livestock and subsequently humans through the food chain. Most of the toxic metal cases in Africa and other developing nations are a result of industrialization coupled with poor effluent disposal and management. Due to widespread mining activities in South Africa, pollution is a common site with devastating consequences on the health of animals and humans likewise. In recent years, talks on toxic metal pollution had taken center stage in most scientific symposiums as a serious health concern. Very high levels of toxic metals have been reported in most parts of South African soils, plants, animals and water bodies due to pollution. Toxic metals such as Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Aluminium (Al), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) and Arsenic (As) are major mining effluents from tailings which contaminate both the surface and underground water, soil and food, thus affecting biological function, endocrine systems and growth. Environmental toxicity in livestock is traceable to pesticides, agrochemicals and toxic metals. In this review, concerted efforts were made to condense the information contained in literature regarding toxic metal pollution and its implications in soil,water,plants,animals,marine life and human health

Recent Advances in Phytoremediation of Hazardous Substances using Plants: A Tool for Soil Reclamation and Sustainability

Phytoremediation techniques have emerged as a promising approach for soil reclamation and remediation of contaminated sites. This review article provides a comprehensive analysis of the different phytoremediation techniques used for soil reclamation and their effectiveness in removing contaminants from soil. The aim is to evaluate the current state of knowledge and to highlight potential avenues for future research in this field. The review begins with a discussion of the principles underlying phytoremediation, emphasizing the ability of plants to accumulate, tolerate, and detoxify contaminants through various mechanisms such as phytoaccumulation, rhizo-degradation, and rhizo-filtration. Different plant species and their suitability for phytoremediation are reviewed, considering factors such as metal tolerance, biomass production, and pollutant uptake efficiency. In addition, the role of soil amendments and their impact on improving phytoremediation efficiency is critically evaluated. Commonly used amendments, including chelating agents, organic matter, and pH adjusters, are reviewed with emphasis on their ability to increase metal bioavailability and plant uptake. The review also addresses challenges associated with phytoremediation, such as plant growth limitations, long-term sustainability, and potential risks associated with the release of pollutants into the atmosphere during biomass disposal. Strategies to mitigate these challenges, including plant breeding and genetic engineering, are discussed

Pollution in the open oceans: 2009-2013

This review of pollution in the open oceans updates a report on this topic prepared by GESAMP five years previously (Reports and Studies No. 79, GESAMP, 2009). The latter report, the first from GESAMP focusing specifically on the oceans beyond the 200 m depth contour, was prepared for purposes of the Assessment of Assessments, the preparatory phase of a regular process for assessing the state of the marine environment, led jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC)

Global impacts of land degradation

Study commissioned by the Scientific, Technical and Advisory Panel (STAP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to support the development of the new GEF focal area of Land Degradatio

Regulating services

No abstract available