Heavy metal and bacteria contamination of selected wetland ecosystems on the eastern slope of Mount Cameroon: implications for human and ecosystem health.

The wetland ecosystems on Mount Cameroon's eastern slope, known for their agroecological significance and biodiversity, are facing potential threats such as heavy metal and bacterial contamination due to poor waste management systems and anthropogenic activities. A study was conducted to quantify the heavy metals and bacterial loads in Solanum scabrum Mill., Amaranthus cruentus L.

Heavy metal exposure risk associated with ingestion of Oreochromis niloticus and Coptodon kottae harvested from a lacustrine ecosystem.

Lacustrine ecosystems have not been widely assessed for heavy metal contamination and associated health risks; yet, they could be accumulating these contaminants to the detriment of aquatic organisms and communities relying on them for various aspects. The water quality index (WQI) and concentrations of heavy metals including As, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in water, sediment, Oreochromis niloticus, and in the endemic and endangered Coptodon kottae in Lake Barombi Kotto in Cameroon were determined to evaluate fish heavy metal bioaccumulation, and heavy metal exposure risk posed to communities consuming these fish species. The WQI of the lake was found to be excellent with heavy metal concentrations that were lower than what was obtained in the sediments and fish samples.