Abstract:
The purpose of the research was to assess the levels of fluoride and selected
heavy metals in caprine, mutton, and vegetation around the Fluorspar mining
plant in Kerio Valley. Previous studies have reported contamination of water and
soil by acidic factory discharges laced with hazardous heavy metals and fluoride
in Kerio Valley, Kenya. However, there is no data on Fluoride and selected heavy
metals in food chain around Fluorspar mining Plant. This formed the motivation
behind the study to avail the data on the level of contamination. The experimental
design was an entirely randomized design where mutton, caprine, and plant
(leaves, grass, corn maize) samples were randomly collected from the three
locations (Tumeiyo, Choff, and Kimwarer) in three replicates and Turesia which
was selected as the reference or control site. Sample preparations and analyses
were done according to recommended methods. Fluoride levels were 6.34±2.45
mg/Kg and 9.58±6.03 mg/Kg in caprine and mutton, respectively. Heavy metals
ranged between 0.06±0.02-0.06±0.03 mg/Kg for Pb, 0.06±0.03-0.09±0.06 mg/Kg for
Cd, 3.31±1.90-3.66±2.41 mg/Kg for Zn, 0.51±0.32-0.82±0.55 mg/Kg for Fe and
0.44±0.28-0.54±0.33 mg/Kg for Cr. Fluoride levels in vegetation ranged between
4.77±2.52 and 6.27±3.40 mg/Kg, while heavy metal levels ranged between
0.01±0.01- 0.04±0.02 mg/Kg for Pb, 0.02±0.02-0.05±0.03 mg/Kg for Cd, 0.26±0.21-
0.48±0.30 mg/Kg for Zn, 0.21±0.15-0.50±0.34 mg/Kg for Fe and 0.19±0.14-0.23±0.18
mg/Kg for Cr. Zn, Fe and Cr levels in meat and fluoride surpassed the WHO/FAO
maximum limits while Pb and Cd in all the samples were within allowable limits.
Conclusively, meat recorded higher analytes concentrations compared to
vegetation. The fact that the levels of key chemical analytes in the assessed
samples were availed and the contamination status indicated, presented the
primary significance of this research.