Determination of Nickel in Selected Surface Waters of the Bonaberi Industrial Zone, Douala IV Council, Littoral Cameroon

Aims: To assess the source and level of Nickel in selected surface waters and its impact on the community of the Bonaberi industrial zone. Study Design: Cross-sectional study design that involved semi-quantitative and qualitative data collection method. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the area of Bonaberi industrial zone, Douala IV district between February 2019 to August 2020. Methodology: 25 Different surface water samples were collected from 5 sampling sites. Water samples were collected in polyethylene bottles previously washed with deionized water and rinsed with sample to be collected from different sites and acidified with 5 ml concentrated nitric acid. The contents of the metal were analyzed using Colorimetric merck microquant procedure. Two way ANOVA test and a P-value (<0.05) was considered significant. Results: Spring Water had a significant concentration of nickel in the various sites (0.06 mg/L), industrial waste (0.05 mg/L), River (0.04 mg/L), Well (0.03 mg/L), Tap waters (0.02 mg/L). Conclusion: Nickel is one of the most toxic naturally occurring metal(s) that is very dangerous to environmental sustainability when present in high concentrations. The study justifies the need to ascertain the long-term effects of Nickel contaminant(s) at waste dumping sites. Strengthening waste management systems and water quality monitoring should be implemented in the watersheds to minimize the health effects and deterioration of the aquatic ecosystem. Adequate measures should be taken to educate the community on heavy metals pollution on surface water and their effects to health and environment.

Acute inhalational metallic nickel poisoning / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of acute inhalational metallic nickel poisoning and its treatment effect.Methods Data including epidemiology,clinical features,laboratory tests,imaging examinations,therapy protocol as well as prognosis were collected and analyzed.Results Thoracic CT scan of all patients demonstrated as bilateral diffuse infiltration.Nickel concentration in both blood and urine were high in all patients and the concentration was positively associated with poisoning severity.All 4 patients received glucocorticoid treatment,2 of whom with acute respiratory distress syndrome were admitted to ICU to initiate mechanical ventilation and were given sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate.All patients survived to hospital discharge.Conclusions Acute inhalational metallic nickel poisoning is uncommon and early symptoms are inconclusive.The blood and urine nickel concentration is helpful to judge the severity of the disease.Pulmonary diffuse infiltration is the main clinical feature.Glucocorticoid,chelation therapy as well as symptomatic treatment are effective therapies to relief disease severity.