article · International Soil and Water Conservation Research
An assessment of water samples collected from three wells and two rivers in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo, reveals notable seasonal variations in water chemistry between the dry and wet seasons. Physicochemical parameters, including dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon, and total organic carbon, were higher during the wet season, whereas pH levels were lower. Across both seasons, most tested trace metals conformed to World Health Organization drinking and domestic water quality guidelines. However, water samples failed to meet these standards in terms of pH and manganese concentrations. Manganese levels ranged from 634 to 812 micrograms per litre in the dry season and rose to between 1,352 and 1,741 micrograms per litre during the wet season. These elevated manganese concentrations appear to result from natural geological weathering processes rather than contamination.
Access to safe drinking water is a critical health challenge across sub-Saharan Africa. By identifying seasonal changes in acidity and revealing naturally high manganese levels in suburban water sources, this research clarifies the specific chemical challenges communities face. Understanding these environmental characteristics helps direct water treatment interventions to address parameters that fail international safety guidelines.
The abstract does not propose a commercial product, representing early-stage environmental baseline data. However, the findings provide essential criteria for water treatment providers, municipal engineers, and filter manufacturers. These organisations could use the data to design targeted filtration or remediation systems capable of handling seasonal acidity drops and high natural manganese concentrations in similar developing regions.
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Water resource contamination is still a major concern in several regions of developing countries especially in sub-Saharan countries in which polluted waters pose serious risks to human health and the environment. The seasonal variation of the physicochemical parameters including pH, temperature (T), electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (O2), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total organic carbon (TOC), and trace metals were assessed in water samples collected from wells (n=3) and two rivers which were the River Lukemi (RLK, n=3) and River Luini (RLN, n=2) located in the City of Kikwit (Province of Kwilu, Democratic Republic of the Congo). Samples were collected during the dry and wet seasons. The concentration of trace metals (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, and Pb) in water was measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), and soluble ions (Na+, K+, NH4+, SO42-, NO3-, and Cl-) analysis was performed using Ion Chromatography. The results indicate the seasonal difference in the physicochemical composition of water e.g., the pH was lower in the wet compared to the dry season. pH values during the wet season ranged from 4.12 to 5.60 in wells and from 5.55 to 6.31 in rivers while the dry season values ranged from 6.27 to 6.98 in wells and from 7.09 to 7.44 in rivers. The concentrations of soluble ions and other physicochemical parameters (O2, DOC and TOC) also varied with the seasons, being higher in the wet and lower in the dry season. With the exception of Mn, the average concentrations of other trace metals measured in water samples from wells and rivers met the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking/domestic water quality. Mn concentration in water samples analysed ranged between 634 to 812 and 1352–1741 µg L−1 during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. These results imply that the high concentration of Mn in the water samples may be explained by the geological origin and result of natural weathering processes. In general, according to the parameters analysed, the water samples taken from the sites studied in both seasons appear to meet drinking water standards according to the WHO guidelines but with the two exceptions of the pH and Mn. This study is important for the present situation and can be applied in similar environmental compartments in the future to assess the availability of safe drinking water in developing countries.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.iswcr.2017.04.004
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