Heavy Metals Assimilation by Native and Non-Native Aquatic Macrophyte Species: A Case Study of a River in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

There is continuous deterioration of freshwater systems globally due to excessive anthropogenic inputs, which severely affect important socio-economic and ecological services. We investigated the water and sediment quality at 10 sites along the severely modified Swartkops River system in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and then quantified the phytoremediation potential by native and non-native macrophyte species over a period of 6 months. We hypothesized that the presence of semi and permanent native and non-native macrophytes mats would reduce water and sediment contamination through assimilation downriver. Our results were variable and, thus, inconsistent with our hypotheses; there were no clear trends in water and sediment quality improvement along the Swartkops River. Although variable, the free-floating non-native macrophyte, Pontederia (=Eichhornia) crassipes recorded the highest assimilation potential of heavy metals in water (e.g., Fe and Cu) and sediments (e.g., Fe and Zn), followed by a submerged native macrophyte, Stuckenia pectinatus, and three native emergent species, Typha capensis, Cyperus sexangularis, and Phragmites australis. Pollution indices clearly showed the promising assimilation by native and non-native macrophytes species; however, the Swartkops River was heavily influenced by multiple non-point sources along the system, compromising the assimilation effect. Furthermore, we emphasise that excessive anthropogenic inputs compromise the system’s ability to assimilate heavy metals inputs leading to water quality deterioration.

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Heavy Metals in Wastewater and Sewage Sludge from Selected Municipal Treatment Plants in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Water ◽

10.3390/w12102746 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 2746 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mojeed A. Agoro ◽

Abiodun O. Adeniji ◽

Martins A. Adefisoye ◽

Omobola O. Okoh

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

South Africa ◽

Sewage Treatment ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Aquatic Organisms ◽

Absorption Spectrometry ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Removal Capacity ◽

Treatment Facilities

This study assessed the distribution of five heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe) across the various stages of treatment in three selected sewage treatment facilities and their receiving waterbodies in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Aqueous and solid (sludge) samples were collected monthly from September 2015 to February 2016. Quantitation was achieved by atomic absorption spectrometry after necessary sample preparations. Concentrations of heavy metal cations in the sludge generally varied from <DL (below detection limit) to 1.17 mg kg−1, <DL to 0.14 mg kg−1, 27.588 to 69.789 mg kg−1, and <DL to 0.099 mg kg−1 for Cu, Cd, Fe and Pb; while Zn was below detection all through. Similarly, the levels of Cu, Cd, and Fe in the influents, effluents, upstream and downstream across the three plants ranged from <DL–6.588 mg L−1, <DL–0.636 mg L−1, <DL–0.878 mg L−1 and <DL–0.711 mg L−1, respectively; Zn and Pb were less than DL in all the matrices and study locations. All the contaminants were below hazardous levels in all the sludge and aqueous samples except Cd which was higher in effluents and surface waters across the board. Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)-A exhibited better removal capacity for Fe (86.6%), compared to WWTP-B (34.7%) and WWTP-C (56.9%). However, the removal of Cu and Zn was very poor in all the treatment facilities studied. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks evaluated were sufficiently low. This suggests that the levels of contamination, even with respect to Cd, was minimal. Nevertheless, efforts should be made to keep the concentrations of these contaminants at levels safe for humans and aquatic organisms. Furthermore, the use of the effluents from these facilities for irrigation should be discouraged to prevent unnecessary build-up of metals in the soil and plants grown with such, as well as subsequent bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the food chain.

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Quality Indeks dan Konsentrasi Logam Berat dalam Perairan dan Sedimen di Perairan Kota Makassar

Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan ◽

10.14710/jil.20.2.271-278 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 271-278

Author(s):

Funty Septiyawati Polapa ◽

Rahmawati Nur Annisa ◽

Dewi Yanuarita ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Sediment Quality ◽

Quality Standard ◽

Marine Biota ◽

Community Activities ◽

Storage And Retrieval ◽

Water And Sediment ◽

The Status ◽

Water And Sediment Quality ◽

River Mouths

Kota Makassar merupakan pusat kota di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan yang memiliki aktifitas wilayah pesisir, seperti pemanfataan industri, pariwisata, transportasi laut serta memiliki dua sungai besar yang muara di perairan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui konsentrasilogam berat dalam air dan sedimen serta menentukan status mutunya. Pengamatan dilakukan pada 10 lokasi strategis sumber pencemar seperti pabrik, hotel, muara sungai serta pelabuhan dengan mengambil sampel air dan sedimen dan selanjutnya dianalisis di laboratorium untuk logam berat Cd, Cr, Hg, Zn, Cu dan Pb. Statistik deskriptif digunakan untuk menganalisis data yang ada. Metode Indeks Pencemar dan Storet (Storage and Retrieval) digunakan untuk menentukan status mutu air dan sedimen dari logam berat untuk biota laut. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan perairan Kota Makassar tergolong dalam kategori “Cemar Ringan” berdasarkan hasil perhitungan indeks Pencemar sedangkan status mutu perairan tergolong “Cemar Berat”. Parameter logam berat di kolom perairan yang melampaui baku mutu adalah Krom (0,016±0,005) dan Tembaga (0,112±0,035). Sedangkan untuk parameter logam berat sedimen secara keseluruhan masih berada dalam ambang batas baku mutu yang telah ditentukan. Kondisi tercemar berasal dari aktifitas reklamasi pantai serta sumber alami dan limbah domestik dari aktifitas masyarakat cukup tinggi.ABSTRACTMakassar City is the city center in South Sulawesi Province which has coastal area activities, such as the use of industry, tourism, sea transportation and has two large rivers that estuary into the waters. This study aims to determine the concentration of heavy metals in water and sediment and determine their quality status. Observations were made at 10 strategic locations of pollutant sources such as factories, hotels, river mouths, and ports by taking water and sediment samples and then analyzed in the laboratory for heavy metals Cd, Cr, Hg, Zn, Cu, and Pb. Descriptive statistics are used to analyze the existing data. The Pollutant Index and Storet (Storage and Retrieval) method is used to determine the status of water and sediment quality of heavy metals for marine biota. The results of this study indicate that the waters of Makassar City are classified as "Lightly Polluted" based on the results of the calculation of the Pollutant index while the status of the water quality is classified as "Heavy Polluted". Parameters of heavy metals in the water column that exceed the quality standard are chromium (0,016±0,005) and copper (0,112±0,035). Meanwhile, the parameters of the sediment heavy metals as a whole are still within the specified quality standard. Polluted conditions derived from coastal reclamation activities as well as natural sources and domestic waste from community activities are quite high.

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Environmental Impact of Cage Culture on Poondi Reservoir, Tamil Nadu

Current World Environment ◽

10.12944/cwe.10.3.39 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 1048-1054 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P Devi ◽

P Padmavathy ◽

A Srinivasan ◽

P Jawahar

Keyword(s):

Tamil Nadu ◽

Sediment Quality ◽

Point Sources ◽

Available Phosphorus ◽

Cage Culture ◽

Reservoir Water ◽

E Coli ◽

Water And Sediment ◽

Permissible Range ◽

Water And Sediment Quality

The present investigation was carried out in Poondi reservoir, Tamil Nadu, for a period of 8 months from September, 2014 to April, 2015 where the cage culture has been already initiated by the state fisheries department. The water and sediment samples were collected from the reservoir at point and non- point sources of the cage culture units and were analyzed for their physico-chemical parameters. The total microbial load, E. coli and feacal streptococci population were also assessed from the reservoir. During the study period, pH, sulphate, nitrate and BOD values were found within the permissible range for drinking water quality. The alkalinity values were found optimum in the reservoir water. The sediment characteristics such as pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon and available phosphorus values were also found to be within the standard limit. The optimum water and sediment quality characteristics and the absence of E. coli and feacal streptococci observed in the cage culture unit clearly showed that the small cage farming in the reservoir does not have major environmental impacts on the water and sediment quality.

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Influence of Knowledge Management Practices on Public Service Delivery by Municipalities

Mousaion ◽

10.25159/2663-659x/5869 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Charleen Musonza ◽

Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Knowledge Management ◽

Service Delivery ◽

Public Service ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Management Practices ◽

Integrated System ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Public Service Delivery

This study examines the influence of knowledge management (KM) practices on public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study sought to determine the factors that have triggered the implementation of KM practices; the effectiveness of KM practices towards public service delivery; and the extent to which KM practices have influenced public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this study. Quantitative data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 202 employees at the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Qualitative data were collected through observations and interviews of 2 senior managers. The data collected gave a response rate of 72 per cent. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed descriptively and presented verbatim respectively. The results indicated that the internal and external factors included in this study have contributed to the implementation of KM practices in the municipality. Furthermore, the effective use of KM practices has increased the organisational KM initiative, as well as the provision of services such as electricity, education, transport, and social services by the municipality. The study recommends the establishment of KM awareness and the establishment of an integrated system that will assist in effective knowledge sharing, retention and acquisition across municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

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