IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i19p12054-d923285.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enzyme Activities in Reduction of Heavy Metal Pollution from Alice Landfill Site in Eastern Cape, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Nontobeko Gloria Maphuhla

    (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa)

  • Francis Bayo Lewu

    (Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Wellington Campus, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Wellington 7655, South Africa)

  • Opeoluwa Oyehan Oyedeji

    (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa)

Abstract

Heavy metals are unbreakable, and most of them are poisonous to animals and people. Metals are particularly concerning among environmental contaminants since they are less apparent, have extensive effects on ecosystems, are poisonous, and bioaccumulate in ecosystems, biological tissues, and organs. Therefore, there is a need to use biological agents and phytoremediation processes such as enzymes because they have a high potential for effectively transforming and detoxifying polluting substances. They can convert pollutants at a detectable rate and are potentially suitable for restoring polluted environments. We investigated heavy metal concentrations in different soil samples collected in four sections in Alice and determined the enzyme activity levels present in the soil. The Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to check whether there was any relationship between heavy metal concentrations and enzyme activities in the soil. Samples were randomly collected in three weeks, and the microwave digestion method was used for sample treatment and preparation. Quantitation was achieved by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The enzyme assay through incubation method was implemented for discovering the four selected enzymes (urease, invertase, catalase, and phosphatase), and their activity levels were examined colorimetrically by colorimetry spectrophotometer. The ICP-MS results revealed 16 predominating elements, namely: Al, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Sr, and Zn, and the presence of a non-mental, which is phosphorus (P), and a metalloid in the form of silicon (Si) in all soil samples. Significant differences in metal concentrations were observed among the collection sites. The Al, Fe, K, Mg, and Ca concentrations were above WHO’s permissible limits. While Ba, Mn, Na, and P were in moderate concentration, Cu, Cr, Co, Zn, Sr, and Ni were in small amounts recorded mostly below the permissible values from WHO. Four soil enzyme activities were determined successfully (urease, invertase, phosphatase, and catalase). A negative non-significant correlation existed between urease, invertase, phosphatase enzyme activity, and the concentration levels of all selected metals (Al, Ba, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Cr, Sr, and Zn. In contrast, the content of catalase activity was associated non-significantly but positively with the range of selected heavy metals. This study suggests proper monitoring of residences’ areas, which can provide detailed information on the impact of high heavy metal content on people’s health. They are easily dispersed and can accumulate in large quantities in the soil. The necessary implementation of waste management programs will help the municipality adopt a strategy that will promote recycling programs and protect the residence health from this threat.

Suggested Citation

  • Nontobeko Gloria Maphuhla & Francis Bayo Lewu & Opeoluwa Oyehan Oyedeji, 2022. "Enzyme Activities in Reduction of Heavy Metal Pollution from Alice Landfill Site in Eastern Cape, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-12, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12054-:d:923285
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12054/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12054/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tianxin Li & Linglong Meng & Uwizeyimana Herman & Zhongming Lu & John Crittenden, 2015. "A Survey of Soil Enzyme Activities along Major Roads in Beijing: The Implications for Traffic Corridor Green Space Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Sang-Hwan Lee & Min-Suk Kim & Jeong-Gyu Kim & Soon-Oh Kim, 2020. "Use of Soil Enzymes as Indicators for Contaminated Soil Monitoring and Sustainable Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-14, October.
    3. Olatunde S. Durowoju & John O. Odiyo & Georges-Ivo E. Ekosse, 2016. "Variations of Heavy Metals from Geothermal Spring to Surrounding Soil and Mangifera Indica –Siloam Village, Limpopo Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Olatunde Samod Durowoju & Georges-Ivo Ekosse Ekosse & John Ogony Odiyo, 2020. "Occurrence and Health-Risk Assessment of Trace Metals in Geothermal Springs within Soutpansberg, Limpopo Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-20, June.
    2. Nontobeko Gloria Maphuhla & Francis Bayo Lewu & Opeoluwa Oyehan Oyedeji, 2020. "The Effects of Physicochemical Parameters on Analysed Soil Enzyme Activity from Alice Landfill Site," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Diana Larisa Roman & Denisa Ioana Voiculescu & Madalina Filip & Vasile Ostafe & Adriana Isvoran, 2021. "Effects of Triazole Fungicides on Soil Microbiota and on the Activities of Enzymes Found in Soil: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-18, September.
    4. Noudeng Vongdala & Hoang-Dung Tran & Tran Dang Xuan & Rolf Teschke & Tran Dang Khanh, 2018. "Heavy Metal Accumulation in Water, Soil, and Plants of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill in Vientiane, Laos," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Jolanta Joniec & Edyta Kwiatkowska & Cezary A. Kwiatkowski, 2022. "Assessment of the Effects of Soil Fertilization with Spent Mushroom Substrate in the Context of Microbial Nitrogen Transformations and the Potential Risk of Exacerbating the Greenhouse Effect," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Yafeng Wang & Hefa Cheng, 2023. "Influence of Mineral Deposition on the Retention of Potentially Hazardous Elements in Geothermal Spring Sediments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-14, May.
    7. Magdalena Myszura-Dymek & Grażyna Żukowska, 2023. "The Influence of Sewage Sludge Composts on the Enzymatic Activity of Reclaimed Post-Mining Soil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.
    8. Haoyu Wang & Shanghua Wu & Yuxiu Zhang & Tsing Bohu & Zhihui Bai & Xuliang Zhuang, 2022. "Understanding the Implications of Predicted Function for Assessment of Rapid Bioremediation in a Farmland-Oilfield Mixed Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-14, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12054-:d:923285. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.