Authors : B.M. Dzoma, R.A. Moralo, L.E. Motsei, R.V. Ndou and F.R. Bakunz
Abstract: A study was carried out to determine the levels of 5 heavy metal pollutants in water, sediments and grass from the gold mining area of Koekemoerspruit near Orkney in the North West province of South Africa. Fecal and blood samples of cattle grazing and watering from the same area were also analysed. Similar samples from Mafikeng, a mining activity free area 200 km away from Orkney were used for comparison. Determination of heavy metal levels was carried out using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) machine, ICP-MS and confirmed on the AAS 700S.Uranium (U), Arsenic (As), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Aluminum (Al) all occurred in varying amounts in samples from both locations. The levels of all the heavy metals analysed for were significantly higher in soil, water and grass samples from Koekemoerspruit than those from Mafikeng, except for Al which was higher in grass samples from Mafikeng. Koekemoerspruit water samples had As, Al and Cd levels of 0.12, 12.8 and 0.01 ppm that were several magnitudes higher than the WHO/EPA maximum permissible levels for drinking water of 0.01, 0.2 and 0.003 ppm, respectively. The animals from both locations had varying levels of all the heavy metals in their serum and faeces. However, significantly higher levels in serum and faeces for Koekemoerspruit were found for U, Cd and Pb, indicating possible implications on the food chain. Sediments had higher levels of heavy metals than water, ranging from 10 times higher for Al to 350 times higher for U. Results of the present survey reveal possible public health risks with regards to the water levels of Al, Cd and As in the mining area of Koekemoerspruit, as well as a generally higher contribution of the mining activities to a higher heavy metal presence in the environment. Owing to the influence of the environmental levels of heavy metals on fecal and serum levels, as well as the excessively high levels of environmental Al, further studies on the possible effects of high environmental levels of the heavy metals on various aspects of animal health and agricultural production are indicated.
B.M. Dzoma, R.A. Moralo, L.E. Motsei, R.V. Ndou and F.R. Bakunz, 2010. Preliminary Findings on the Levels of Five Heavy Metals in Water, Sediments, Grass and Various Specimens from Cattle Grazing and Watering in Potentially Heavy Metal Polluted Areas of the North West Province of South Africa. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 9: 3026-3033.