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DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks
DDT usage is prohibited in developed nations but exempted for use in indoor residual spraying (IRS) in developing countries, including African countries. No previous review of DDT residues in water resources has been conducted before in Africa. The study aimed to provide a review of available resear...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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Department of Public Health and Family Medicine
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613217682882560 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Makgoba, Lethabo |
| author2 | Dalvie, Aqiel |
| author_browse | Dalvie, Aqiel Makgoba, Lethabo |
| author_facet | Dalvie, Aqiel Makgoba, Lethabo |
| author_sort | Makgoba, Lethabo |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | DDT usage is prohibited in developed nations but exempted for use in indoor residual spraying (IRS) in developing countries, including African countries. No previous review of DDT residues in water resources has been conducted before in Africa. The study aimed to provide a review of available research investigating the levels of DDT residues in water sources in Africa and to assess the consequent human health risks. A scoping review of published studies conducted in Africa was facilitated through an extensive electronic search using PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO HOST, and Scopus. A total of 20 articles were reviewed. The DDT concentrations varied between no detection to 81. 2 µg/l, with 35% of the studies having found DDT concentrations that exceeded the WHO drinking water guideline of 1 µg/l, in the sampled water sources. South Africa (81. 2 µg/l) and Egypt (5.62 µg/l) had the highest DDT concentrations in the sampled water sources. DDT levels were found to be higher during the wet season. Moreover, water from taps, rivers, reservoirs, estuaries, wells, and boreholes containing DDT residues was used to provide drinking water. Five studies conducted health risk assessments, and two studies found cancer risk values that exceeded the permissible limits in water sampled from sources that were used as a source of drinking water. Contrastingly, the non-carcinogenic risk values in the studies were below a hazard quotient of 1. DDT residues were detected throughout the year in African water systems. In conclusion, evidence of risks to human health was found as the concentration of DDT residues exceeded the WHO drinking water guidelines and/or cancer risk permissible limits in sampled drinking sources in African water systems. Alternative methods for malaria vector control should be investigated. Larger studies that include risk assessments and seasonal monitoring of DDT residues in multiple water sources are recommended. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/43091 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:38.580Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Department of Public Health and Family Medicine |
| publisherStr | Department of Public Health and Family Medicine |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/43091 DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks Makgoba, Lethabo Dalvie, Aqiel Abrams, Amber DDT water Africa human risks DDT usage is prohibited in developed nations but exempted for use in indoor residual spraying (IRS) in developing countries, including African countries. No previous review of DDT residues in water resources has been conducted before in Africa. The study aimed to provide a review of available research investigating the levels of DDT residues in water sources in Africa and to assess the consequent human health risks. A scoping review of published studies conducted in Africa was facilitated through an extensive electronic search using PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO HOST, and Scopus. A total of 20 articles were reviewed. The DDT concentrations varied between no detection to 81. 2 µg/l, with 35% of the studies having found DDT concentrations that exceeded the WHO drinking water guideline of 1 µg/l, in the sampled water sources. South Africa (81. 2 µg/l) and Egypt (5.62 µg/l) had the highest DDT concentrations in the sampled water sources. DDT levels were found to be higher during the wet season. Moreover, water from taps, rivers, reservoirs, estuaries, wells, and boreholes containing DDT residues was used to provide drinking water. Five studies conducted health risk assessments, and two studies found cancer risk values that exceeded the permissible limits in water sampled from sources that were used as a source of drinking water. Contrastingly, the non-carcinogenic risk values in the studies were below a hazard quotient of 1. DDT residues were detected throughout the year in African water systems. In conclusion, evidence of risks to human health was found as the concentration of DDT residues exceeded the WHO drinking water guidelines and/or cancer risk permissible limits in sampled drinking sources in African water systems. Alternative methods for malaria vector control should be investigated. Larger studies that include risk assessments and seasonal monitoring of DDT residues in multiple water sources are recommended. 2026-04-14T08:39:42Z 2026-04-14T08:39:42Z 2023 2026-04-14T08:29:05Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters Masters http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43091 en eng application/pdf Department of Public Health and Family Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | DDT water Africa human risks Makgoba, Lethabo DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks |
| title_full | DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks |
| title_fullStr | DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks |
| title_full_unstemmed | DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks |
| title_short | DDT water contamination and the impact on water quality access in Africa in relation to human health risks |
| title_sort | ddt water contamination and the impact on water quality access in africa in relation to human health risks |
| topic | DDT water Africa human risks |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43091 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT makgobalethabo ddtwatercontaminationandtheimpactonwaterqualityaccessinafricainrelationtohumanhealthrisks |