Impacts of Trace Metals Pollution of Water, Food Crops, and Ambient Air on Population Health in Zambia and the DR Congo

Abstract

Zambia and the DR Congo are situated in the central African Copperbelt, which is part of the Lufilian geological structure arc stretching over from Kolwezi in Katanga Province in the DRC to Luanshya in Copperbelt Province in Zambia. The area has large copper-cobalt deposits of which the extraction causes severe ecosystem damage due to pollution of water, food crops, and the ambient air negatively impacting population health. Contamination of drinking water for domestic use and foods (cereals, roots and tubers, vegetables, and fruits) was determined by assessing the contents of trace metals including Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Co, As, U, Cd, and Cu and through a questionnaire for environmental damage. Food samples were analyzed by inductively coupled argon plasma/optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), while water and urine samples were analyzed by inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrations of Ni, Pb, and Cd were higher in almost all food crops, although Cu was more in samples of Cucurbita maxima and Amaranthus hybridus. Mean contents (μg/L) of Mn, Zn, Cd, Pb, and U were, respectively, 5,454.6, 2552.2, 138.7, 39.7, 2361.1, and 21.4 in the DRC and 108.9, 543.3, 0.3, 0.2, 1.5, and 0.5 in Zambia, being significantly higher and always far above World Health Organization maximum limits in the DRC. Urine samples taken only from the DRC contained trace metals with children's samples being more contaminated than adult ones. Our results conclusively echo the most critical challenges of toxic pollutants causing numerous health issues among the population. Given an outcry among households adjacent to mines about land degradation and food spoilage, and health problems over years, joint efforts are needed from public and private sectors for stringent mining exploitation monitoring for sustainable governance to protect the environment and ensure food and nutrition safety, and population well-being in Zambia and the DR Congo.