TITLE:
Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Water of the Loutété River, Mfouati District, Southeast Congo
AUTHORS:
Ifo Grace Mazel, Diamouangana Mpissi Zita Flora, Bibila Mafoumba Jean Claude, Matini Laurent
KEYWORDS:
Hazard Quotient, Non-Carcinogenic Risk, Heavy Metals
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.10 No.12,
December
13,
2022
ABSTRACT: The overall objective of this study was to assess the health risk of
water in the Loutété River contaminated with heavy metals. Six surface water samples
were collected during the dry season (October 2014). The physico-chemical
parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts) were measured
using a HANNA brand device. The values of these physico-chemical parameters are
below the WHO standards. The concentrations of heavy metals Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn
and Mn were determined by ICP-OES. These obtained in (μg/L) are in the range:
Cr (0.08 - 5.8); Cu (0.6 - 14.5); Fe (0.2 - 386.05);
Pb (1.02 - 370.09); Zn (8.02 - 248.7) and Mn (37.1 -
328.08). These concentrations are below the WHO drinking water guideline value
in all samples for Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn, 50, 2000, 400 and 3000 μg/L respectively.
Concentrations of As, Fe and Pb exceeded the WHO guideline value for drinking
water at the following stations: S1 for arsenic, S4 for iron, and for Pb at all
stations except S5. The health risk assessment for adults due to ingestion
exposure gave HQing. values ed that
HQ derm 1 for
lead. In the case of ingestion, HQing. , with the exception of the following metals Arsenic, Lead and Iron.