Home > Archive > 2017 > Volume 8 Number 5 (May 2017) >
IJESD 2017 Vol.8(5): 372-377 ISSN: 2010-0264
doi: 10.18178/ijesd.2017.8.5.980
doi: 10.18178/ijesd.2017.8.5.980
Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution Status of the Pasture Grass around Katima Mulilo Municipal Solid Wastes Dumpsite, Namibia
J. Abah, P. Mashebe, and S. A. Onjefu
Abstract—Environmental effects of open wastes disposal
continue to receive global attention. This study determined the
heavy metals pollution status of pasture grass around Katima
Mulilo municipal solid wastes dumpsite, Namibia. Samples of
the pasture grass were collected from grassland around the
wastes dumpsite and a control site and then analyzed for levels
of the heavy metals: Pb, Cr, Cd, As, Ni, Co, Cu and Mn using
standard analytical procedures. The results obtained revealed
that Mn recorded the highest mean concentration of
102.50mg/kg while Co recorded the lowest level (0.13mg/kg).
Generally, the present levels of the heavy metals were below
their health regulatory limits. However, the degree of
contamination of the pasture grass was significantly higher
(paired sample mean t-test, p < 0.05) in the samples collected
around the wastes dumpsite with an index of 0.3502. The
loading values obtained from the principal component analysis
of the heavy metals suggest that all the seven metals detected
can be grouped under one main factor. Therefore, we
recommend periodic monitoring of the levels of heavy metals in
the pasture grass around the wastes dumpsite and advice
precautionary measures in order to limit unintended exposures
of livestock and hence, human beings to metals toxicities.
Index Terms—Cattle, pasture grass, heavy metal pollution, wastes dumpsite.
J. Abah and P. Mashebe are with the Department of Mathematics, Science and Sport Education, Faculty of Education, University of Namibia, Katima Mulilo Campus, Private Bag, 1096, Katima Mulilo Namibia (e-mail: jabah@unam.na, pmashebe@unam.na).
S. A. Onjefu is with the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Private Bag, 13388, Windhoek, Namibia (e-mail: sonjefu@nust.na).
Index Terms—Cattle, pasture grass, heavy metal pollution, wastes dumpsite.
J. Abah and P. Mashebe are with the Department of Mathematics, Science and Sport Education, Faculty of Education, University of Namibia, Katima Mulilo Campus, Private Bag, 1096, Katima Mulilo Namibia (e-mail: jabah@unam.na, pmashebe@unam.na).
S. A. Onjefu is with the Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Private Bag, 13388, Windhoek, Namibia (e-mail: sonjefu@nust.na).
Cite: J. Abah, P. Mashebe, and S. A. Onjefu, "Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution Status of the Pasture Grass around Katima Mulilo Municipal Solid Wastes Dumpsite, Namibia," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 372-377, 2017.
