Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30524861›Full record

ArticleJournal of health & pollution2018

Characterization, Spatial Variation and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and a Metalloid in Surface Soils in Obuasi, Ghana.

Osei Akoto, Nesta Bortey-Sam, Shouta M M Nakayama, Yoshinori Ikenaka, Elvis Baidoo, Joseph Apau, Jemima Tiwaa Marfo, Mayumi Ishizuka

Open access · diamondAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of health & pollution, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 46% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Osei AkotoDepartment of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Nesta Bortey-SamLaboratory of Toxicology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
Shouta M M NakayamaLaboratory of Toxicology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
Yoshinori IkenakaLaboratory of Toxicology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
Elvis BaidooDepartment of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Joseph ApauDepartment of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Jemima Tiwaa MarfoLaboratory of Toxicology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
Mayumi IshizukaLaboratory of Toxicology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
Hokkaido University · JPKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology · GH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSoil contamination with heavy metals and metalloids has become an increasingly important issue in recent years.

objectivesThe present study examines possible contamination of the environment with metals from gold mining activities in Obuasi, Ghana.

methodsSoil samples were collected from commercial and residential areas and tailing dams in Obuasi in order to investigate the extent of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and arsenic (As) pollution, create thematic maps showing the extent of heavy metals pollution, identify the sources of pollution, and to assess risks to humans and the surrounding ecological system.

resultsMean concentrations of metals from the study were found in the order of As > Cu > Zn > Cr > Ni > Pb > Co > Hg > Cd. The results showed that all communities were severely polluted with As, and distribution maps highlighted two hot spots at the sulfite treatment plant and Pompura treatment plant tailings dams. Additionally, the levels of Pb, Cu and Zn were elevated around the city center where vehicular traffic is very dense. Principal component analysis indicated that mining activities may have significantly contributed to metal levels in Obuasi soils. The potential ecological risk (RI) indicated that soils in 41% of the communities pose very high risks to the surrounding ecological system, 50% pose considerable risk, and 9% pose a moderate risk. Arsenic and Hg contributed 73 and 15% of the RI, respectively. The average hazard quotient due to soil As exposure was 2.51 ± 1.23 and ingestion of soils in 95% of the communities in the study area could pose non-carcinogenic health risks to children. Moreover, the average cancer risk for children from the communities was 1.13 × 10

conclusionsThe central part of the study area is polluted with Pb, Zn and Cu, and As pollution is severe in all of the studied communities. The RI from all study sites revealed very high risk to the ecological system, including mammals. There could be non-cancer and cancer risks to Obuasi residents due to ingestion of As-contaminated soils, and children are particularly vulnerable. COMPETING INTERESTS: The author declares no competing financial interests.

Indexed as

cancer riskecologicalhazard quotientmetalsminingthematic maps

Identifiers

PMID30524861
PMCPMC6257175
OpenAlexW2884966002

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.