Physio-Chemical and Toxicological Study of the Water of the Lubumbashi River, in Democratic Republic of Congo

摘要

The absolute necessity of water in the life of man remains undeniable to the point that some people think the water is the life. Metals are ubiquitous in surface waters. But their concentrations are generally very low which explains their name “trace metals” or “trace metals”. However, when the mining begins operating a metal-rich deposit, a change operates especially in waters in contact with these mining works. This study aims to determine the pH of the river water Lubumbashi, and then measure the accumulation of trace elements in the food chain in order to evaluate the risks to human health. The pH of the recorded values are within normal limits (6.5-9.5); Site 1 has an average pH of 7.962 (±0.185); the site 2 and 3 had a pH of 8.140 (±0.210) and 8.331 (±0.082) respectively. The samples of water show v ery low levels of metals which not exceed normal values with the exception of the Cd. This mineral element presents concentrations higher than 0.003 mg/l. The pH of the river Lubumbashi water meets drinking water standards accepted by the WHO. The Cd that has very high concentrations may contribute to the pollution of the river Lubumbashi. Note that the STL plant contributes significantly to the alkalizing and pollution water following these liquids tributaries.