Cyanobacterial diversity and biomass in relation to nutrient regime of four freshwater reservoirs sourced for the production of drinking water in Ghana

Addico, Gloria Naa Dzama; Hardege, Joerg D.; Komárek, Jiří; deGraft-Johnson, K. A. A.

doi:10.1127/1864-1318/2009/0130-0081

Cited by 5 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…The Owabi reservoir is designed to produce up to 20% of the total potable water requirement (Akoto et al, 2014), while the Barekese treatment plant is providing about 80% of the total piped drinking water to the Kumasi metropolis (Kumasi et al, 2011). The Kpong Reservoir, described as mesotrophic (Addico et al, 2009), is located in the Eastern Region of Ghana on 6°07′ 1.3″ N 0°07′ 31.6″ E (Fig. 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Barekese Reservoir is a mesotrophic reservoir (Addico et al, 2009), which lies on latitude 6° 49′ 50.2″ N and longitude 1°43′ 21.8″ W (Fig. 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Weija Reservoir, a eutrophic reservoir (Addico et al, 2009), is situated in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana and lies on latitude 5° 34′ 7.1″ N and 0°20′ 44.8″ W (Fig. 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microcystins (MCs) are probably the most frequently found cyanotoxins which can be produced by various cyanobacterial genera including water bloom-and scum-forming planktonic cyanobacteria such as Dolichospermum (formerly Anabaena), Microcystis or Planktothrix (Manganelli et al, 2012). Cyanobacteria representing these genera have been previosly identified in Ghanaian water reservoirs along with other cyanobacterial species potentially producing MCs (Addico et al, 2006(Addico et al, , 2009(Addico et al, , 2017. MCs are highly toxic for mammals with acute LD 50 as low as 50-60 µg kg -1 , mouse, i.p.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These are two large geographical areas with 26 countries and nearly half a billion inhabitants, where Central Africa is represented by nine countries populated by approximately 155 mil people, and West Tropical Africa by 17 countries with a combined population of about 344 mil people (UNSD, 2014). Toxic or potentially toxic cyanobacterial blooms seem to occur frequently in this geographical area (Addico et al, 2006(Addico et al, , 2009(Addico et al, , 2017Akin-Oriola et al, 2006;Berger et al, 2006;Haande et al, 2007;Mhlanga et al, 2006;Odokuma and Isirima, 2007). Nevertheless, MCs in this region have been so far reported from Nigeria (Chia et al, 2009a(Chia et al, , 2009bChia and Kwaghe, 2015) and detected in water reservoirs Brimsu, Kwanyarko, Kpong and Weija in Ghana (Addico et al, 2006;Addico et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cyanobacteria and microcystin contamination in untreated and treated drinking water in Ghana

Addico¹,

Hardege²,

Kohoutek³

et al. 2017

Adv Ocean Limnol

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Although cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins represent a worldwide-occurring phenomenon, there are large differences among different countries in cyanotoxin-related human health risk assessment, management practices and policies. While national standards, guideline values and detailed regulatory frameworks for effective management of cyanotoxin risks have been implemented in many industrialized countries, the extent of cyanobacteria occurrence and cyanotoxin contamination in certain geographical regions is underreported and not very well understood. Such regions include major parts of tropical West and Central Africa, a region constisting of more than 25 countries occupying an area of 12 million km 2 , with a total population of 500 milion people. Only few studies focusing on cyanotoxin occurrence in this region have been published so far, and reports dealing specifically with cyanotoxin contamination in drinking water are extremely scarce. In this study, we report seasonal data on cyanobacteria and microcystin (MC) contamination in drinking water reservoirs and adjacent treatment plants located in Ghana, West Africa. During January-June 2005, concentrations of MCs were monitored in four treatment plants supplying drinking water to major metropolitan areas in Ghana: the treatment plants Barekese and Owabi, which serve Kumasi Metropolitan Area, and the plants Kpong and Weija, providing water for Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area. HPLC analyses showed that 65% samples of raw water at the intake of the treatment plants contained intracellular MCs (maximal detected concentration was 8.73 µg L -1 ), whereas dissolved toxins were detected in 33% of the samples. Significant reduction of cyanobacterial cell counts and MC concentrations was achieved during the entire monitoring period by the applied conventional water treatment methods (alum flocculation, sedimentation, rapid sand filtration and chlorination), and MC concentration in the final treated water never exceeded 1 µg L -1 (WHO guideline limit for MC-LR in drinking water). However, cyanobacterial cells (93-3,055 cell mL -1 ) were frequently found in the final treated water and intracellular MCs were detected in 17% of the samples (maximal concentration 0.61 µg L -1 ), while dissolved MCs were present in 14% of the final treated water samples (maximal concentration 0.81 µg L -1 ). It indicates a borderline efficiency of the water treatment, thus MC concentrations in drinking water might exceed the WHO guideline limit if the treatment efficiency gets compromised. In addition, MC concentrations found in the raw water might represent significant human health risks for people living in areas with only a limited access to the treated or underground drinking water.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Barekese Reservoir is a mesotrophic reservoir (Addico et al, 2009), which lies on latitude 6° 49′ 50.2″ N and longitude 1°43′ 21.8″ W (Fig. 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Weija Reservoir, a eutrophic reservoir (Addico et al, 2009), is situated in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana and lies on latitude 5° 34′ 7.1″ N and 0°20′ 44.8″ W (Fig. 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%