Urban mosquitoes and filamentous green algae: their biomonitoring role in heavy metal pollution in open drainage channels in Nairobi industrial area, Kenya

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dc.contributor.authorKamau, Luna
dc.contributor.authorKinuthia, Geoffrey K.
dc.contributor.authorNgure, Veronica
dc.date.accessioned2024-05-14T09:43:11Z
dc.date.available2024-05-14T09:43:11Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.descriptionJournal Article
dc.description.abstractBackground: Industrial wastewater is a human health hazard upon exposure. Aquatic organisms in contaminated wastewater may accumulate the toxic elements with time. Human population living in informal settlements in Nairobi industrial area risk exposure to such toxic elements. Biomonitoring using aquatic organisms in open drainage channels can be key in metal exposure assessment. Levels of Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd), Thallium (Tl), and Nickel (Ni) were established in samples of wastewater, filamentous green algae (Spirogyra) and mosquitoes obtained from open drainage channels in Nairobi industrial area, Kenya. Results: Pb, Cr, & Ni levels ranged from 3.08 to 15.31 μg/l while Tl, Hg, & Cd ranged from 0.05 to 0.12 μg/l in wastewater. The Pb, Cr, Ni, & Cd levels were above WHO, Kenya & US EPA limits for wastewater but Hg was not. Pb, Cr, Tl, & Ni levels in assorted field mosquitoes were 1.3–2.4 times higher than in assorted laboratory-reared mosquitoes. Hg & Cd concentrations in laboratory-reared mosquitoes (0.26 mg/kg & 1.8 mg/kg respectively) were higher than in field mosquitoes (0.048 mg/kg & 0.12 mg/kg respectively). The levels of Pb, Cr, & Ni were distinctively higher in field mosquito samples than in wastewater samples from the same site. Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd & Hg levels in green filamentous Spirogyra algae were 110.62, 29.75, 14.45, 0.44, & 0.057 mg/kg respectively. Correlation for Pb & Hg (r (2) = 0.957; P < 0.05); Cd & Cr (r (2) = 0.985; P < 0.05) in algae samples was noted. The metal concentrations in the samples analyzed were highest in filamentous green algae and least in wastewater. Conclusion: Wastewater, mosquitoes, and filamentous green algae from open drainage channels and immediate vicinity, in Nairobi industrial area (Kenya) contained Hg, Pb, Cr, Cd, Tl, and Ni. Mosquitoes in urban areas and filamentous green algae in open drainage channels can play a role of metal biomonitoring in wastewater. The potential of urban mosquitoes transferring heavy metals to human population from the contaminated wastewater should be investigated.
dc.identifier.citationKinuthia G. K., Ngure V., and Kamau L. (2021): Urban mosquitoes and filamentous green algae: their biomonitoring role in heavy metal pollution in open drainage channels in Nairobi industrial area, Kenya. BMC Ecology and Evolution
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.daystar.ac.ke/handle/123456789/4632
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBMC Ecology and Evolution
dc.subjectHeavy metals
dc.subjectWastewater
dc.subjectOpen channels
dc.subjectUrban mosquitoes
dc.subjectFilamentous algae
dc.subjectBiomonitoring
dc.titleUrban mosquitoes and filamentous green algae: their biomonitoring role in heavy metal pollution in open drainage channels in Nairobi industrial area, Kenya
dc.typeArticle

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