Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Physicochemical Quality and Health Risks Associated with Use of Water from Nyamwamba River, Kasese, Western Uganda

Researchers assessed seasonal physicochemical quality and heavy metal contamination in Uganda's Nyamwamba River, finding that copper mine tailings elevated levels of arsenic, lead, and cadmium above safe thresholds, posing significant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks to communities drinking or using the water.

2022 Asian Journal of Applied Chemistry Research 5 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A Systematic Review of Contaminants of Concern in Uganda: Occurrence, Sources, Potential Risks, and Removal Strategies

This systematic review looked at pollutants threatening Uganda's environment and public health, including microplastics alongside heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues. The study found these contaminants at levels well above safety standards in water sources, raising concerns about antibiotic resistance, hormone disruption, and cancer risk. It highlights how poor wastewater treatment in developing countries can lead to widespread contamination of drinking water.

2023 Pollutants 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Hazardous effects of heavy metal pollution on Nile tilapia in the aquatic ecosystem of the Eastern Delta in Egypt

Researchers assessed heavy metal contamination in Nile tilapia from rivers in Egypt's Eastern Delta, finding that some metals had accumulated in fish tissues at levels exceeding international safety limits — raising health concerns for people who eat fish from these polluted waters.

2024 BMC Veterinary Research 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Many oil wells, one evil: comprehensive assessment of toxic metals concentration, seasonal variation and human health risk in drinking water quality in areas surrounding crude oil exploration facilities in rivers state, Nigeria

Researchers assessed toxic metal concentrations in drinking water near crude oil exploration facilities in Nigeria, finding seasonal variations and levels exceeding safety thresholds that pose serious health risks to surrounding communities.

2022 International Journal of Hydrology 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Many Oil Wells, One Evil: Potentially toxic metals concentration, seasonal variation and Human Health Risk Assessment in Drinking Water Quality in Ebocha-Obrikom Oil and Gas Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Researchers assessed heavy metal concentrations and seasonal variation in drinking water from an oil and gas extraction area in Nigeria, finding contamination levels that pose significant human health risks including potential neurological and carcinogenic effects.

2021 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential of Heavy Metals and Microplastics Contamination in River Mpanga, Fort Portal, Kabarole District, Uganda

Researchers assessed heavy metal and microplastic contamination in the Mpanga River near Fort Portal, Uganda, collecting water and sediment samples from multiple sites. They found measurable levels of both pollutant types, driven by industrialization, agriculture, and urbanization in the catchment area. The study provides important baseline data on emerging contaminant pollution in East African freshwater systems.

2024 Nature Environment and Pollution Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Shrimp and Water from the Great Kwa River: Implications for Human Health and Aquatic Ecosystems

Researchers measured heavy metal concentrations in shrimp and water samples from Nigeria's Great Kwa River. The study found elevated levels of several toxic metals linked to oil exploration and industrial activities, with some metals in shrimp tissue exceeding safe consumption limits, raising concerns about health risks for local communities who rely on river shellfish as a food source.

2024 International Journal of Biochemistry Research & Review 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Enrichment, Bioaccumulation and Health Risks of Trace Metals in Soils and Leafy Vegetables Grown on the Banks of the Ugandan Lifeline River, River Rwizi

Researchers measured six trace metals in soil and leafy vegetables grown along the banks of Uganda's River Rwizi near urban areas. The study found elevated metal concentrations linked to urbanization and industrial activities, with some vegetables accumulating metals at levels that could pose health risks to people who regularly eat produce from these riverside farms.

2024 World 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in water, sediment, aquatic mussels, and edible crops from a gold-mining-stressed river in Northern Nigeria

Researchers assessed potentially toxic element contamination from artisanal gold mining in a Nigerian river, finding cadmium, chromium, lead, copper, and nickel concentrations exceeding WHO guidelines by roughly tenfold in water, with bioaccumulation in mussels and crops posing significant non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks to local populations.

2026 Discover Chemistry.
Review Tier 2

A review of the current status of the water quality in the Nile water basin

This review summarizes water quality data from the Nile River basin across 11 African countries, documenting contamination from heavy metals, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants including microplastics. Rapid population growth, industrialization, and poor waste management are driving pollution levels up, threatening the water supply for hundreds of millions of people. The findings underscore the need for better monitoring and coordinated policies to protect this critical water resource.

2024 Bulletin of the National Research Centre/Bulletin of the National Research Center 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of metal concentrations from recreational rivers in a tropical region (Jengka, Malaysia)

Researchers measured iron, manganese, and lead concentrations in two recreational rivers in Malaysia, finding that lead levels exceeded safe thresholds and that children face higher health risks than adults from both non-cancer and cancer effects, highlighting the need for stronger water quality monitoring near recreational waterways.

2022 Applied Water Science 6 citations
Article Tier 2

New approach into human health risk assessment associated with heavy metals in surface water and groundwater using Monte Carlo Method

Researchers used statistical modeling and Monte Carlo simulations to assess cancer and non-cancer health risks from heavy metals in water sources across Egypt's northwestern desert, finding that lead, cadmium, and chromium posed significant carcinogenic risks to both adults and children. Children faced especially high risk from skin contact with contaminated water, highlighting an urgent need for advanced water treatment in the region.

2024 Scientific Reports 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Heavy Metal Contamination in Surface Water of Harike Wetland, India: Source and Health Risk Assessment

Researchers measured levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and zinc in the surface water of Harike Wetland in India across different seasons. They found that cadmium and lead exceeded safe drinking water standards, particularly during winter months, with industrial discharge and agricultural runoff identified as primary sources. The health risk assessment indicated that these contaminated waters pose potential non-cancer health risks, especially for children.

2023 Water 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Levels of heavy metals in water and Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) of Eleyele Lake in Ibadan, Nigeria

This is not a microplastics study; it measures heavy metals in water and Nile tilapia from a Nigerian lake, finding that lead concentrations in fish tissue exceeded WHO and FAO limits even though water concentrations appeared acceptable, raising food safety concerns for local consumers.

2023 Dutse Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioaccumulation and potential sources of heavy metal contamination in fish species in River Ganga basin: Possible human health risks evaluation

Researchers assessed heavy metal contamination in seven commonly consumed fish species from the Ganga River basin in India, measuring zinc, lead, copper, cadmium, and chromium levels. They found that chromium, cadmium, and lead concentrations in river water exceeded safe limits at all sampling sites, with the highest metal accumulation occurring in fish liver tissue. The health risk assessment indicated potential long-term hazards for human populations consuming fish from these contaminated river segments.

2019 Toxicology Reports 346 citations
Article Tier 2

Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk assessment of river Ganges in different climatic conditions and regions of Uttarakhand, India

Researchers assessed health risks from heavy metals in the Ganges River, finding elevated arsenic at some sites and correlations between physicochemical parameters and metal concentrations.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Water pollution and its impact on human health in Nigeria Authors

This study examined the causes and health effects of water pollution in Nigeria, where millions of people are affected by contaminated water sources from industrial waste, oil spills, and agricultural runoff. Researchers found that heavy metals, pathogens, and microplastics significantly degrade water quality, leading to waterborne diseases and long-term health problems. The study emphasizes the urgent need for improved sanitation infrastructure, stronger environmental regulations, and community-based clean water initiatives.

2025 Special journal of the Medical Academy and other Life Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in a freshwater lake system in Indian Himalaya: Distribution and influencing factors

Researchers found widespread microplastic contamination in both the water and sediments of Manasbal Lake in the Indian Himalayas, with concentrations up to 4,020 particles per kilogram of sediment. Domestic sewage was identified as the primary source, and the microplastics were found alongside elevated levels of heavy metals like lead. This co-contamination is concerning because microplastics can absorb and transport heavy metals, potentially increasing toxic exposure for communities that depend on the lake.

2024 Emerging contaminants 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment of selected metallic pollutants in fish from Zuru Dam, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Researchers measured concentrations of seven metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Co, Pb, K) in catfish and tilapia from Zuru Dam in Nigeria and performed health risk assessments, finding metal levels that may pose risks to communities consuming fish from this water body.

2025 Communication in Physical Sciences
Article Tier 2

Drinking plastic: a study of microplastic concentrations in drinking water from rural and urban sources in Mali, Africa

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in drinking water from rural and urban sources in Mali, Africa, finding microplastics in all samples and identifying higher concentrations in urban supplies, with implications for human health in a region with limited water treatment infrastructure.

2024
Article Tier 2

A Review on Pollutants Found in Drinking Water in Sub-Sahara African Rural Communities: Detection and Potential Low-cost Remediation Methods

This review examined drinking water pollutants in sub-Saharan African rural communities, identifying widespread contamination from microplastics, heavy metals, and pathogens, and evaluating low-cost remediation methods suitable for resource-limited settings.

2023 Industrial and Domestic Waste Management 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and Health Implications of Heavy Metals in Microplastics from Otuoke Surface Waters

Microplastics collected from surface waters in Otuoke, Nigeria were analyzed for adsorbed heavy metals, with health risk assessments indicating that consumption of contaminated aquatic organisms could pose risks to local populations from metal-laden plastic particles.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A study on various pollutants in water and their effect on blood of the consumers

Researchers tested drinking water supplied to students in Sahiwal, Pakistan and found contamination with toxic metals, pesticides, and arsenic at levels exceeding WHO safety limits, and linked these pollutants to measurable effects in the blood of water consumers. The study illustrates how inadequate water infrastructure and industrial waste disposal create serious public health risks.

2021 Applied Water Science 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the Effects of Heavy Metals on Water from Illegal Crude Oil Refineries: a Case Study of Three Selected Communities in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

This paper is not about microplastics; it measures heavy metal contamination (and associated health risk indices) in surface water near illegal crude oil refineries in three communities of Nigeria's Niger Delta region.

2023 Environmental Contaminants Reviews 1 citations