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Environmentally friendly municipal solid waste management is the biggest problem facing several developing countries, including Ghana. Heavy metals pollution generated by landfill leachate has become increasingly concerned due to its potential impact on human health. This study assessed the pollution level and sources of heavy metal levels in groundwater, as well as evaluated the human health risk effect. The sampling technique and sample treatment were done based on the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. The results suggested that the mean concentration of Pb, Fe, Cd, and Cr was above the acceptable limits of the World Health Organization for drinking water except for Zn and Cu. The heavy pollution index indicates contamination, while hazard index values at sites BH 1 and W 4 were greater than one, suggesting adverse health effects. However, the heavy metal pollution index values were less than the critical limit of 100 for drinking water. Multivariate analysis predicted that lithogenic and anthropogenic factors were the possible sources of water pollution of heavy metal in the Oti community. Thus, multivariate statistical techniques could be a beneficial tool for the evaluation of possible sources of heavy metal contamination. The high levels of heavy metals found in the Oti community suggested a considerable pollution of water by leachate percolation from the landfill site. The findings of the study, which can be used in areas under similar environmental conditions, can offer a valuable benchmark for the design of suitable approaches to manage groundwater resources by both local and national policymakers.

Levels of organochlorine (OC) and organophosphorus (OP) pesticide residues in fish, sediments and water and their health risk associated with the consumption of the fish from the Tono Reservoir, Ghana were evaluated. The analytical methods included solvent extraction of the pesticide residues using ultrasound sonication and soxhlet extraction and their subsequent quantification using GC equipped with electron capture detector and pulse flame photometric detector after clean-up on activated silica gel/anhydrous sodium sulphate. A total of 29 pesticides comprising 16 OCs and 13 OPs were analyzed, out of which aldrin, p,p′-DDE and p,p′-DDD were detected in fish and sediment samples. The results showed that all the residues in water had their concentrations below the detection limit. Mean concentrations of organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in fish ranged from 0.017 to 0.17, 0.043 to 0.30, 0.027 to 0.243 and 0.097 to 0.263 µg/g in Sarotherodon galilaeus, Clarias anguillaris, Schilbe intermedius and Marcusenius senegalensis respectively. Mean concentrations of organophosphates pesticides ranged from 0.080 to 0.090, 0.080 to 0.087 and 0.050 to 0.063 µg/g in C. anguillaris, S. intermedius and M. senegalensis respectively. The level of chlorpyrifos in S. galilaeus was 0.160 µg/g. Mean concentrations of OCP residue in sediments ranged from 0.047 to 0.090 µg/g. Aldrin recorded the highest level while p,p′-DDD recorded the lowest level. The mean concentrations for all the detected residues were below the WHO/FAO maximum residue limits. Health risk estimation revealed that aldrin in M. senegalensis had great potential for systemic toxicity to consumers.

This study consisted of the determination of the trace metals and some physiochemical properties in drinking water samples from the Brong Ahafo region of the Republic of Ghana, where drinking water samples are not treated before it is consumed. The purpose was to ascertain the quality of water from these sources. Samples were taken from fifteen sampling points and analyzed for the following parameters