TITLE:
Indices of Water Quality and Pesticide Monitoring Survey in Lake of Western Côte d’Ivoire and Its Human Risk Assessment
AUTHORS:
Kouamé Kouakou Benoit, Konan Kouakou Séraphin, Konan Koffi Félix, Boussou Koffi Charles, Kouamé Kouamé Martin, Dibi Brou
KEYWORDS:
Pesticides, Health Risk Assessment, Water Quality Index, Heavy Metal Index
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Resources,
Vol.11 No.2,
February
28,
2020
ABSTRACT: The aims of the work were to study the current quality of the water in Lake DOHOU used for drinking water supply through several physical, chemical analyses and using water quality indices (WQI). In addition, the question was whether the populations are at risk after drinking water of lake following a reduction of 50% and 75% in the median and maximum values of pesticides. Thus, the results of the pesticide monitoring program were incorporated into probabilistic human health risk assessment exercises. Water samples were collected over a period of one year. Pesticides were subjected to solid phase extraction and then analyzed using gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectroscopy. The other parameters were measured according to conventional methods. The results showed that the most frequently detected pesticides were aldicarb (79%), simazine (79%) and monolinuron (44%). They also showed the mean values of concentrations exceeding 1.5 μg/L. Metoxuron detected at a frequency of 29% showed the maximum average concentration (13.46 μg/L). Nearly 98% of the sampling points had at least one substance with an average concentration above the quality standard (0.1 μg/L) and 80% did not meet the total concentration standards. Cumulative risk quotient estimates after 50% or 75% abatement for frequently identified pesticides were greater than unity when extremevalues for adults and children were considered. To determine the suitability of water for aquatic life, drinking water consumption and drinking water production, the water quality index (WQI), the heavy metal pollution (HPI) and the heavy metal evaluation (HEI) were calculated. The poor quality of the water was mainly related to pesticides, organic matter and microbiological parameters. Most of the nutrients and metals studied were often below the standards of drinking water and aquatic life. The Water Quality Index (WQI) has shown that water quality is degrading for these three modes of use and ranges from poor to marginal. The coupling of monitoring data with probabilistic estimates of human risks could be used by the Ivorian authorities to propose effective pollution management plans.