Selected Trace Element s in Domestic Water Borehol es and Their Implicat ions on Human Health,
in Huruma Estate, Eldoret Municipality, Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya
consequence of their double-edged behavior. Depending
on their concentration and chemical forms, they function
as essential elements or potent toxicants to humans, li-
vestock, plans, waterfowls and certain bacteria. Manga-
nese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), Vanadium (V) and Copper
(Cu) are known to have beneficial effects on heart dis-
ease as illustrated in their high concentrations in the lo w
death-rate areas of Georgia, America [3]. Therefore, the
low-death-rate may be as a result of an abundance of
beneficial trace elements.
In Kenya, non-communicable diseases, especially car-
diovascular diseases and cancer are increasing rapidly.
Hypertension accounts for the majority of the cardiovas-
cular disorders in Kenya and in developing countries.
Regrettably, the ability to deal with this emerging prob-
lem is being hindered by two major factors a paucity
epidemiological data about incidence, prevalence and
trends in disease occurrences and absence of adequate
resource allocation locally and by the international
community [4].
Incidences of cancer and cardiovascular diseases are
on the increase with some forms associated with trace
element concentration. The study conducted at MTRH by
[5] sho ws that e sopha geal cancer is the 9th most co mmo n
cancer in the world, and the 5th most common cancer in
developing countries, with approximately 300,000 newly
diagnosed patients every year. He reported that the can-
cer cases recorded at the Hospital, from Jan. to May 2001
showed that the cancer incidence was 2% per 100,000
per year. Kenyatta National Hospital recorded the overall
country incidence at 67% per 100,000 per year over the
same period.
Domestic water particularly in volcanic environments
is usually associated with high concentration levels of
elements. The concentration ranges for trace elements in
domestic water supplies is usually unknown because rou-
tine analysis ignores this component. Trace elements are
further more toxic than other pollutants when the y occur
outside their recommended ranges and are greatly ab-
sorbed and retained in the body when taken in liquid
form. The above scenario merits an investigation to cha-
racterize the domestic water supplies in terms of selected
trace elements and find out their implication on human
health.
Eldoret Municipality in Rift Valley Province is asso-
ciated with volcanic activities that are a major source of
trace elements. Water is a basic requirement for life and
is extensively used in everyday life. However, if conta-
minated it has a capacity to transmit many disease. Fur-
thermore, water is a major source of trace elements in
human diet yet most reports on water analysis give only
the concentrations of major elements that are recognized
to affect the quality of water for domestic, agricultural
and industrial u ses.
The findings will contribute to knowledge in the qual-
ity of domestic water boreholes in Huruma estate in El-
doret Municipality in terms of the selected trace elements.
Future decision on the necessary water treatment
processes could be based on the findings and therefore
lead to improvement in water quality and hence human
health. The objective was to determine the level of Cr,
Cu and Se in domestic water supplies (boreholes) in Hu-
ruma, Eldoret Municipality and determine the suitability
of water for drinking.
Chronic exposure of chromium in man causes cancer
of the respiratory tract and skin eczema. It also causes
renal tubular necrosis. The lethal oral dose in human
adults is 50 - 70 mg of soluble chromates per kg body
weight. At this level of ingestion, chromium causes poi-
soning of blood-forming organs. Chronic toxicity can be
observed in several other mammalian species, with hex-
avelant chromium in concentrations of more than 5 mg/L
[6].
It is possible for aquatic animals to accumulate high
and ultimately lethal concentrations of heavy metals over
long period from extremely low water concentrations. In
USA the brown bullhead (Lctalurs nebulosus) has been
shown to accumulate chromium to concentrations more
than 2600 times that found in the stream water although
this was still lower than the concentration in the stream
sediment. In the IIIionis River the concentration of
chromium in the muscles of omnivorous fish was found
to be appreciably greater than that in the muscles of car-
nivor ous fis h alt hou gh aga in t he c once ntr atio ns were l ess
than that of the river sediment [7].
[8] explains that the average background concentra-
tions of copper in air in rural areas range from 5 to 50
ng/m3. Copper levels in fresh water of 1 - 20 µ/L are
found in uncontaminated areas. The adverse health ef-
fects associated with copper include: anemia and bone
abnormalities (due to copper deficiency), vomiting, di-
arrhea, headache, respiratory difficulty, liver and kidney
failure, massive gastro-intestinal bleeding and death [8].
Selenium occurs naturally in a number of inorganic
forms, including selenide, selenate and selenite. In soils,
selenium most often occurs in soluble forms like selenate
(analogous to sulfate), which are leached into rivers very
easily by runoff. Natural sources of selenium include
certain selenium-rich soils, and selenium that has been
bioconcentrated by certain toxic plants such as locoweed.
Anthropogenic sources of selenium include coal burning
and mining and smelting of sulfide ores [9].
Although selenium is an essential trace element it is
toxic if taken in excess. Exceeding the Tolerable Upper
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