Prof. Harold Wilson Tumwitike Mapoma

Prof. Harold Wilson Tumwitike Mapoma

Co-author

Physics & Biochemical Sciences

28 publications

Besides teaching and consultancy, Prof. H.W.T. Mapoma has a great passion for research and skills gathering in Environmental Science and Sanitation. He has more than 10 years of teaching experience in environmental pollution and management, water resources management, hydrogeochemical studies, appli...

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Heavy Metals and Nutrients Loads in Water, Soil, and Crops Irrigated with Effluent from WWTPs in Blantyre City, Malawi

Journal Article
Published 2 years ago, 606 views
Author
Raymond S. Malikula
Co-authors
Assoc. Prof. Chikumbutso Chiziwa Kaonga, Mr. Fabiano Thulu, Petra Chiipa, Prof. Harold Wilson Tumwitike Mapoma
Abstract
Heavy metals may cause acute and chronic toxic effects to humans and other organisms, hence the need to treat wastewater properly, as it contains these toxicants. This work aimed at assessing zinc, copper, cadmium, and chromium in water, soil, and plants that are irrigated with effluent from Manase and Soche Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in Blantyre, Malawi. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to assess the heavy metals. Heavy Metal Health Risk Assessment (HMHRA) on plants (vegetables) around both WWTPs was also conducted. Average daily dose (ADD) and target hazard quotients (THQ) were used to assess HMHRA. Physicochemical parameters were determined using standard methods from American Public Health Association (APHA). The heavy metal ranges were below detection limit (BDL) to 6.94 mg/L in water, 0.0003 to 4.48 mg/kg in soil, and 3 to 32 mg/L in plants. The results revealed that plants irrigated with effluent from WWTP had high values of aforementioned metals exceeding the Malawi Standards and WHO permissible limits. Furthermore, the health risk assessment values showed that vegetables consumed for a long period of time from Manase WWTP were likely to cause adverse health effects as compared to those from Soche WWTP
Year of Publication
2022
Journal Name
Water
Volume
14
Issue
1
Page Numbers
121
Supporting Files
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