Metals contamination in shallow wells through solid waste leaching is a serious environmental problem with potential contribution to the global cancer cases. This paper evaluated the health risks of metals in shallow wells around dumpsites in Abeokuta Metropolis, Nigeria. Five dumpsites were purposively selected to sample twenty-five shallow wells. In-situ and laboratory analysis for pH and Electrical conductivity, copper, lead, Cadmium, Iron, and Chromium were conducted following the APHA standard procedure. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for oral and dermal routes were evaluated for adult male and female, children, and infant. Findings show that all wells are highly acidic (pH = 4.08–5.24), with Fe and Cd concentration above the established limits. Wells around Obada, Obantoko, and Saje dumpsites have high EC (upto 1200µS/cm), Cu, and Pb concentration above the permissible limits. Non-carcinogenic risks for oral ingestion were significant (HI > 1) for all age groups, and the significance level across dumping area increases in the order: Saje > Obantoko > Obada > Idi-aba > Lafenwa. All wells assessed in Saje and Obantoko recorded significant HI of dermal exposure for children and infants. Cancer risks were significant (CR > 1.0E-04) for all age groups, and metal contributions followed: Cd > Cr > Pb. Overall trend of significant risks for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic via oral and dermal routes are in the order: infant > children > adult female > adult male. This show that groundwater users within the studied areas may experience diverse illnesses or cancer in their lifetime, particularly children and infant.
The large number of agrochemical pollutants that are today found in our environment, including in the air, soil, and water, and that are primarily caused by human activity, has caused many issues for the residents. Environmentally susceptible places for agrochemicals include water bodies near agricultural fields, groundwater near the surface, habitats for other animals, and endangered species. It is possible for drinking water to get contaminated and skin exposure to rise when agricultural chemicals are employed in close proximity to residential areas. The study investigated the possibility of water pollution and the vulnerability of rural farmers to agrochemical toxicity. Ewekoro and Ikenne Local Government Area were randomly selected for the study. Geographical Positioning System (GPS) device was used to take the coordinates of farms where agrochemicals are applied and the residential buildings in close proximity to farm fields. Descriptive statistics, digital elevation model and near tool analysis (ArcGIS), atomic absorption spectrophotometer and human health risk analysis were tools employed for analysis in the study. The findings showed that the water bodies were highly contaminated with heavy metals with consequences of the residents to suffer carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic adverse effects. The study recommends advocacy campaign on safe use of agrochemicals, appropriate water use to reduce risk to human health and increase biodiversity sustainability while building of local water purifying facilities in the rural communities for safe water consumption is encouraged.
The use of agrochemicals promotes productivity and efficiency of farm work and it may become hazardous for the user if handled improperly. Hence, this study looked into the factors that triggered health impairment among maize-based farmers using agrochemical in Ogun state, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in selecting 200 respondents for the study. Analytical tools employed in the study include descriptive statistics, multivariate probit and economic cost of illness models. The results revealed that most health impairment suffered by agrochemical user include headache, breathing difficulty, skin rashes and dizziness, among others. Insecticide, as the likely cause of headache and breathing difficulties on respondents, was significant at p ≤ 0.01 while the probability of agrochemical application method, improper use of protective wears and non-reading of instructional label was also significant to cause health impairments at values of p ≤ 0.01, p ≤ 0.01 and p ≤ 0.05, respectively. Consequently, the economic cost of illness (COI) result reflected that maize-based farmers who used agrochemicals incurred more cost on treatment ( 51,012.31k) than the non-agrochemical users ( 21,908.13k). Insecticides tend to make the respondents more sick than other agrochemicals as it recorded a peak mean value of economic cost in the study area. The study recommends among others, prompt health talks, proper use of protective wears and investment in organic farming.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.