Physicochemical and Microbial Quality of Water from the Ugandan Stretch of the Kagera Transboundary River

Abstract

Increasing global pollution of water resources undermines the efforts invested in the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals. In developing countries, for example, water pollution is exacerbated by poor regulatory structures and improper waste disposal. This study, for the first time, investigated the physicochemical and microbial parameters of surface water from the Ugandan stretch of the Kagera transboundary river. Surface water (n = 135) from downstream, midstream and upstream of the river was sampled between February 2021 and June 2021, and analysed following standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. Further, the samples were analysed using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy for the presence of heavy metals: nickel, lead, chromium, cadmium and copper. The obtained results showed that turbidity (24.77 ± 5.5–43.99 ± 6.87 mg/L), colour (118 ± 8.90–145.2 ± 30.58 Pt-co units), Escherichia coli (4.96 ± 7.01 CFU/100 mL), lead (23.0 ± 11.0–43.0 ± 12.0 µg/L) and cadmium (3.3 ± 1.0–10.1 ± 10.0 µg/L) were at levels that surpassed their permissible limits as per World Health Organization guidelines for potable water. These results are lower than previously reported for the Rwandese stretch of this river, but still present potential health risks to the population whose livelihoods depend on the river. Measures should therefore be instituted by the East African Community member states to mitigate riverine pollution and ensure sustainable use of the Kagera transboundary river.

Hydrochemistry and Irrigation Quality of High-Altitude Lakes: A Case Study of the Ramaroshan Lake Complex, Nepal Himalayas

“…The mean HCO 3 − concentration was highest for Kupinde Lake and lowest for Gosaikunda Lake in previous studies. The lower HCO 3 − concentration indicates the lower buffering capacity of the lake and greater susceptibility to rapid pH changes in response to acid or alkaline inputs [20,67]. The mean Cl − concentration in the present study was 4.41 mg/L, which is lower than the prior investigations of the RLC.…”

Exposure and Health Risks Posed by Potentially Toxic Elements in Soils of Metal Fabrication Workshops in Mbarara City, Uganda

“…Considering the positive correlations between the studied PTEs in the soil samples, the significant correlation coefficients between pairs of PTEs are indicative of their origination from a common source, i.e., MFWs' activities [66][67][68], mutual dependences, or identical behaviors during transport in the environment. Elevated concentrations of siderophilic elements (Ni, Cr, Mn, and Pb) are markers of anthropogenic pollution, supporting the idea that they could have occurred as a result of the metallurgical activities in the MFWs [69].…”