International Journal of Environmental Science and Development

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).

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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.