For ages, it has been said water is life. True, given the refreshing feeling it brings when one is thirsty or the freshness that comes with pouring it over oneself on a hot day.
Algae on the shores of Lake Victoria at Luzira landing site. PHOTO/Maria Wamala
Conversely, water may not necessarily be life if it is full of algae, more so toxin-filled algae that is largely a result of industrial and human waste pollution, as is the case with Lake Victoria. This water might nourish cancer.
According to the Uganda Cancer Institute, no substantial research or studies have been done to establish the possibility of cancer onset as a result of the algae on Lake Victoria, algae.
However, according to an online Daily Mail article, algae has sparked off a wave of cancer cases in China, resulting in what has been termed as cancer villages.
These are areas where pollution is so heavy it has led to a big rise in diseases like stomach and intestinal cancer and reproductive abnormalities.
For instance, Huangjiawa, one of the affected villages, is said to have one of the highest rates of stomach cancer in the world.
“The wells in the village are believed to be contaminated with toxins from a nearby aluminium smelter, which also pumps pollution into the sky,” the article reads in part, adding that the smelter pumps waste water underground, thus causing underground water pollution.
Worse still, the polluted water is used on farmland and irrigation, thus contaminating the food as well.
Consequently, farmers in China have no choice but to use polluted water on their crops so much that grocery shops have to advertise rice shipped in from other places as ‘clean water rice’.
Poor waste disposal a threat
One of the gravest dangers to human health and likely cause of cancer is poor waste disposal, warns Dr. John Sempebwa of the department of disease control and environmental health at the Makerere University School of Public Health.
He says poorly disposed waste generates a thick liquid (leachate), observing that the health effect of the leachate is determined by the amount of industrial waste and other non-biodegradable elements.
“Some chemical elements leach out of dumped plastic into water, which can cause cancer,” he warns.
Sempebwa observes that if run-off leachate gets into a water body, the fish population usually also gets affected.
“Male fish will start behaving like females, thus mating is significantly reduced. The leachate also affects the reproductive abilities wild life such as birds and alligators,” he says.
Sempebwa adds that industrial wastes such as metals, batteries and especially Lead have severe effects.
“Over time, Lead affects the nervous system, manifesting through symptoms such as being irritable, forgetfulness, headache, fatigue and reduced libido,” he explains.
“The immediate effects of exposure to lead include vomiting, visual impairment, stomach cramps and a shaky body. Chromium, too, has almost similar effects like Lead.”
Other industrial wastes, Sempebwa notes, such as hydrogen sulphide have a foul smell, resulting in fatigue, increased palpitations, shortness of breath and headaches.
By the time one senses the presence of hydrogen sulphide, as the case is with the Kinawata swamp, it means, according to Sempebwa, it is in higher concentration than the body can withstand.
And if one ceases to sense hydrogen sulphide in an area where it is present, he warns that the next stage for such a person is death, adding that leachate has the potential to contaminate underground water, which is largely relied on by borehole users.
Over 30 million people vulnerable to cancer
In the book Lake Victoria Basin: A New Frontier for Development of East Africa, a 2011 publication, environment experts Tom Okurut and Calleb Weggoro warn that the water resources of Lake Victoria, especially surface water, are under pressure from the increasing human population in the basin and their associated activities, including catchment degradation effects.
“The net effect of these pressures is observed in the decline in the quality of water in rivers and in the inshore areas of the lake,” the book reads in part, adding: “The occasional and seasonal water algae blooms seen in the inshore areas of the lake are a direct result of the changes in water quality.”
Studies undertaken, according to the book, under the Lake Victoria Environment Management project in 2000-2005, confirmed that substantial quantities of nitrogen and phosphorous enter the lake directly through atmospheric deposition.
For phosphorous, this route contributes 78% of the total loading into the lake and contributes a critical pathway, which is beyond the control of the East African Community authorities.
Although biological nitrogen fixation is the main source of nitrogen in the lake, the 17% from deposition provides that undesirable quantity, which, in combination with phosphorous, enhance the excessive plant growth or algae in the Lake.
This is worrying in light of the fact that Lake Victoria, according to the book, remains the most reliable source of drinking water for the human population living in rural areas, most major cities and towns around the lake.
According to the 2009 population data, the book notes, it is estimated that about 38 (33%) million people leave within the Lake Victoria basin in all the five countries.
“This constitutes nearly one third of the total population of these countries. On average about 65% of the basin population is under 25 years, which implies high dependency level,” it reads in part.
Practically, if these 38 million people get into excessive contact with lead-loaded leachate that could be flowing into the lake, spurring algae growth, undoubtedly they are potential cancer victims since they drink, bathe and use some of the water for their farming needs.
Toxic-free algae treats breast cancer
According to the Uganda Cancer Institute, toxic-free algae or sea weeds have life-enhancing health benefits, and thus recommended to be eaten by women suffering from breast cancer (right).
According to online sources, chlorella, a single-celled fresh water algae, is often referred to as a near-perfect food, as its range of health benefits are truly astounding.
Chlorella acts as an efficient detoxification agent by binding to toxins, such as mercury, in your body and carrying them out of your system. Additionally, it helps one in processing more oxygen, cleanses the blood and promotes the growth and repair of body tissues.
Arguably, the most important property of chlorella is its ability to help rid your body of heavy metal toxins, which are an increasing source of pollution in the environment.
By Watuwa Timbiti, The New Vision
