The Catchment effect on Arsenic contamination in water supply systems in Mbale region of

Uganda

Introduction

Arsenic contamination in water sources is a problem in most parts of the world. Whereas most of the
problems are associated with geologic nature of areas, anthropogenic Most problems are associated
with geolo

Background

General objective

To assess the potential of Arsenic contamination in Drinking Water supply systems

Specific objectives

1. To determine Arsenic concentrations in raw and treated water supply systems

2. To determine the metal forms in the water supply chain
3. To assess the Arsenic route of entry in water supply chain

Research questions

Objective 1:

 What type of water sources are being used by the water supply systems in the areas (Ground,
Surface?)
 How is the water abstracted (Gravity, Motorized pumps)
 What are the concentration levels of Arsenic in the raw water

Objective 2

 What is the metal speciation in the water supply chain?

Objective 3

 What is the geology and land use of the areas under study
 Is land use related to arsenic in the water systems
 Are water treatments using conventional means or ordinary filtration followed by disinfection
 What chemicals are used in water treatment

Statement of the problem

Significance of the study

Scope of the study

Literature review

Arsenic in the environment

Arsenic speciation and detection technique

Nearly two dozen arsenic species are present in the environmental and biological systems. Differences in their
toxicity, biochemical and environmental behaviors require the determination of these individual arsenic species.
Considerable analytical progresses have been made toward arsenic speciation analysis over the last decade.
Hyphenated techniques involving a highly efficient separation and a highly sensitive detection have become the
techniques of choice. Methods based on high-performance liquid chromatography separation with inductively
coupled plasma mass spectrometry, hydride generation atomic spectrometry, and electrospray mass spectrometry
detection have been shown most useful for arsenic speciation in environmental and biological matrices. These
hyphenated techniques have resulted in the determination of new arsenic species, contributing to a better
understanding of arsenic metabolism and biogeochemical cycling. Methods for extracting arsenic species from solid
samples and for stabilizing arsenic species in solutions are required for obtaining reliable arsenic speciation
information

Methods and materials

Study areas

Maps of the municipalities, GPS coordinate of sampling sites

 Kasese town water supply system

 Gulu town water supply systems
 Mbale town water supply system

Data collection

Water quality

 Intake
 1st tap
 Distribution

Data on geology

Land use changes

History of chemical usage and mining in the areas

Data analysis
Objective 1

 Descriptive statistics
 Two tailed sample t-test to test

Objective 2

 Descriptive statistics
 One tailed sample t-test

Objective 3

 Regression analysis
 Chi square

Workplan

Budget

Reference