Affiliation(s)
1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Lubumbashi University, Lubumbashi 1825, D.R. Congo
2. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Lubumbashi University, Lubumbashi 1825, D.R. Congo
3. Department of Material Engineering, Higher School of Industrial Engineers, Lubumbashi University, Lubumbashi 1825, D.R. Congo
4. Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Management, Lubumbashi University, Lubumbashi 1825, D R. Congo
5. Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Lubumbashi University, Lubumbashi 1825, D.R. Congo
ABSTRACT
Aluminum (Al), Vanadium (V), Chromium (Cr), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe),
Strontium (Sr), Molybdenum (Mo), Silver (Ag), Cadmium (Cd), Tin (Sn), Caesium
(Cs), Barium (Ba), Lead (Pb), Bismuth (Bi) and Uranium (U) concentrations were investigated in
water samples from fifteen sampling locations in Naviundu river basin, Luano and
Ruashi rivers and Luwowoshi spring in Lubumbashi city during February, March
and April 2016. Chemical analyses of the samples were carried out using
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer. Water pH was determined using a
pH-meter and mean pH values ranged from 4.2 to 5.8. The highest mean levels of
Al (5,961.954 µgL-1), Pb (472.287 µgL-1), V (21.014 µgL-1), Cr (8.185 µgL-1), U (4.163 µgL-1) and Bi (0.012 µgL-1) were recorded in Chemaf
(Chemicals of Africa) hydrometallurgical plant effluent, those of Mn
(29,714.593 µgL-1), Sr (374.377 µgL-1), Cd (11.358 µgL-1) and Cs (0.107 µgL-1) in Naviundu river
at Cimenkat (Katanga’s Cement Factory) exit, those of Fe (14,258.9 µgL-1) and Ba (307.641 µgL-1) in Luano river and those of Ag (2.669 µgL-1), Mo (0.559 µgL-1) and Sn (0.325 µgL-1) were respectively
noted in Foire channel, Naviundu river under bridge on Kasenga road and
Kalulako river. The concentrations of Cd in Naviundu river at Cimenkat exit (11.358 µgL-1), Chemaf
hydrometallurgical plant effluent (9.697 µgL-1), Naviundu river under bridge on De Plaines
Avenue (6.95 µgL-1) and Kalulako river
(3.229 µgL-1), Pb concentrations
in Chemaf hydrometallurgical plant effluent (472.287 µgL-1) as well as the Al, Fe and Mn concentrations
recorded in most waters in this study exceeded the WHO (World Health
Organization) maximum permissible limits for drinking water. The metal
contamination of waters of the studied rivers, channel and spring might be
partially attributed to natural processes, unplanned urbanization and poor
waste management, and mostly to abandoned and ongoing mining and ore processing
activities in Lubumbashi city.
KEYWORDS
Trace metal
contamination, channel, river, spring, water, pH, Lubumbashi city.
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