Heavy Metal Contaminated Water, Soils and Crops in Peri Urban Wastewater Irrigation Farming in Mufulira and Kafue Towns in Zambia

Abstract

Although research on peri urban arable farming had been conducted in Zambia, the concerns related to heavy metal contaminated wastewater use in crop farming in peri urban areas were inadequately tackled. The study investigated heavy metal contamination of water, soils and crops at two study sites in Zambia. The two study sites were New Farm Extension in Mufulira and Chilumba Gardens in Kafue. Heavy metals comprising chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) were investigated due to: (i) their presence in wastewater used to irrigate crops which were found to be higher than acceptable limits; (ii) their potential negative effects on human health when ingested in large quantities; (iii) their implications on the livelihoods of people. Samples of water, soil and crops were collected and analysed for lead, copper, chromium, cobalt and nickel using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). The data on heavy metals was analysed using mean, standard error and T-test. The results indicated that heavy metals were present in the water, soil and crops at the two study sites and exceeded acceptable limits. It can be argued that wastewater, soil and crops were contaminated with heavy metals at the two peri-urban areas in Zambia. The study highlighted the problem of heavy metal contaminated crops consumed by peri urban population. The information this study can be used in the planning and development of safe agricultural farming systems in peri urban areas in Zambia

Sources and spatial distribution of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in saline soils and sediments of Mighan Playa (Iran)

“…However, heavy metals possess undesirable and harmful consequences on food chains and human health (Huang et al., ; Sarfo et al., ; Zhang, Cui, Sheng, & Wang, ). Thus, studying the distribution of heavy metals in soil and lake sediments is beneficial in providing valuable information and insights about their contamination and potential environmental risks (Kapungwe, ).…”

Conservation Agriculture Promotion and Uptake in Mufulira, Zambia-A Political Agronomy Approach

“…It experiences tropical savannah climate characterised by three typical seasons; hot and wet season from November to March; cool and dry season from April to July and; hot and dry season from August to October (Kapungwe 2013). The town is located in the high rainfall agro-ecological region which is part of the Central African Plateau.…”

“…The minimum and maximum temperatures during the same period were 12 and 29 ˚C respectively (Zambia Meteorological Department, 2015). The high rainfall has resulted in highly leached, and consequently highly acidic sandy soils (Mutamba, 2007).The district is characterized by a crop growing period of 190 days (Kapungwe, 2013). …”

Remediation of heavy metal contaminated ecosystem: an overview on technology advancement

“…The South and Southeast Asian countries, like Peninsular Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan have taken much care regarding monitoring of the contamination of agricultural soils and crops by heavy metals. Kapungwe (2013) has studied metal (Co, Cr, Cu, Pb and Ni) contamination of water, soils and crops at two wastewater-irrigated study sites (New Farm Extension in Mufulira and Chilumba Gardens in Kafue) in Zambia. The results indicated that heavy metals were present in the water, soil and crops at the two study sites and exceeded acceptable limits.…”