Physicochemical quality of water and health risks associated with consumption of African lung fish (Protopterus annectens) from Nyabarongo and Nyabugogo rivers, Rwanda

Abstract

Objective: To determine the quality of water, heavy metal content of edible muscles of a piscivorous fish (Protopterus annectens) and assess the health risks associated with using water and consumption of P. annectens from Nyabarongo and Nyabugogo rivers of Rwanda. Results: All the water quality parameters were within World Health Organization's acceptable limits except total nitrogen, iron, manganese and lead levels. Edible muscles of Protopterus annectens contained 272.8 ± 0.36, 292.2 ± 0.25, 8.8 ± 0.36, 135.2 ± 0.15, 148.0 ± 0.21 and 432. 0 ± 0.50 mg/kg of iron, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium and lead at Ruliba station and 336.0 ± 0.70, 302.6 ± 1.22, 6.4 ± 0.26, 44.7 ± 0.20, 138.2 ± 0.17 and 302.4 ± 1.50 mg/kg of iron, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium and lead at Kirinda bridge of Nyabarongo river. Health risk assessments indicated that though ingestion and dermal contact with heavy metals in water from the rivers may not cause obvious health effects, consumption of Protopterus annectens from Nyabarongo river may lead to deleterious health effects.

Physicochemical Quality and Health Risks Associated with Use of Water from Nyamwamba River, Kasese, Western Uganda

“…The values were not significantly different between the dry and wet seasons, and that of Mubuku River. The pH values obtained in this study were comparable to 7.06 and 7.03, 6.2-8.0, 7.96-8.22, 6.6-7.5, 5.85-7.60 and 8.05-8.30 reported for water from NR [19,44], River Mohokare of Lesotho [45], Nyabugogo and Nyabarongo rivers, Rwanda [42], Aturukuku River [46], Nyamugasani River [47] and Rwimi River of Uganda [47,48]. Interestingly, the pH values were slightly higher than 5.60-6.32 and 5.58-6.80 reported for water sampled from NR and Mubuku River of Uganda reported by Mukisa et al [48].…”

“…The cancer risk (CR) estimated as the incremental lifetime cancer risk for the carcinogenic heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr and As) were calculated as the product of ADD ing and the ingestion cancer slope factor (CSF) using Equation 5. Consequently, the total cancer risk (TCR) from ingestion of the carcinogenic HMs in water was calculated using Equation 6 suggested by preceding authors [35,42].…”

Assessment of selected trace metals in fish feeds, pond water and edible muscles of Oreochromis mossambicus and the evaluation of human health risk associated with its consumption in Vhembe district of Limpopo Province, South Africa

“…Overall, the consumption of the fish from all the sites pose no cancer risk to the consumers irrespective of their age group. However, the study in Rwanda showed that intake of fish can cause cancer to children and adults due to high chromium and lead in the edible fish muscles with values greater than 1 × 10 −4 [ 108 ]. Results from this study agrees with the findings of Ahmed et al [ 29 ] that children are more sensitive and prone to risk of trace metals contamination in fish muscles than adults.…”

Effects of industrial effluents on the quality of water in Namanve stream, Kampala Industrial and Business Park, Uganda

“…Apparatus and reagents were those previously used [8,10,14]. Study approval was granted by Department of Chemistry, Kyambogo University, Uganda (Approval No.…”