Ghana: Urban farm vegetables high in mercury, faecal content

Published 2024년 4월 22일

Tridge summary

A study published in April 2024 has highlighted health risks from consuming vegetables like lettuce and bell pepper irrigated with urban wastewater in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) of Ghana. The research found that mercury (Hg) levels and faecal coliform counts in these vegetables exceeded WHO permissible limits, posing significant health risks, although cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) levels were within safe limits. This study emphasizes the critical need for education on the risks of using contaminated water in agriculture and the enforcement of phytosanitary standards to protect consumer health.

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Original content

Wisdom JONNY-NUEKPE An analysis of heavy metals and pathogen levels in vegetables grown using water from selected urban areas of the Greater Accra Metropolis has revealed that consumers face health risks linked to mercury (a heavy metal) and faecal coliforms. The study, titled ‘Analysis of Heavy Metals and Pathogen Levels in Vegetables Cultivated Using Selected Water Bodies in Urban Areas of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA)’, was published in April 2024. It examines the levels of heavy metals and faecal coliform in two vegetables, lettuce and bell pepper, cultivated using open-surface wastewater from drains and constructed reservoirs at various locations within GAMA. Using concurrent mixed methods, questionnaires were administered to 67 vegetable farmers, followed by the collection of vegetable samples from three urban farm sites – Haatso, Dzorwulu, and the Weija Irrigation Scheme site (WISS) – for laboratory analysis. The concentrations of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and ...

Source: Thebftonline