Mitigating the Concentration of Arsenic in Drinking Water in Mining Areas Using Ferric Hydroxide Soil Samples in Response to the Incidence of Cancer Diseases: A CASE STUDY IN KITWE, COPPERBELT PROVINCE - Abstract
Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the concentrations of arsenic in drinking water for Kitwe residents and mitigate arsenic in water samples using the adsorption process of ferric hydroxide in response to the incidences of cancer diseases. The concentrations of arsenic before the adsorption process in the water samples from Mindolo stream were 22.2µg/L, Kafue River were 7.5µg/L whereas those from tap water were 4.6µg/L, respectively. After the adsorption process using two soil samples, clay soil and ferric hydroxide containing soil samples (SS1 and SS2), whose iron compositions were 24.46% and 38.22%, respectively, the concentrations of the water samples were as follows; Mindolo stream 5.4µg/L, Kafue river 5.4µg/L and tap water 0.9µg/L for clay soil sample one (SS1), whereas for in situ soil sample (SS2) after the adsorption process, the concentrations for water samples from Mindolo stream, Kafue river and tap water were 4.3µg/L, 2.5µg/L and 0.3µg/L,respectively.Therefore, making it possible for government to come up with sensitization programs about arsenic and make deliberate policies.