A Lake with No Exit: A Meta-Analysis of Metal and Organochlorine Contamination in Lake Nakuru, Kenya, Across a Saline–Freshwater Inversion, 1972–2025

Lake Nakuru, a critical Ramsar Wetland and part of Kenya's UNESCO-listed Great Rift Valley system, has undergone significant changes in salinity and contaminant levels over the past five decades. A meta-analysis reveals that while salinity has drastically decreased—from 20–40 g/kg to under 3 g/kg—contaminant concentrations (heavy metals and organochlorines) have been systematically re-evaluated, accounting for dilution effects. This study pools decades of data from water, sediment, and biota samples, adjusting for salinity, analytical reliability, and methodological variations. It provides standardized contamination indices and compares findings against regulatory thresholds, offering a comprehensive assessment of ecological risks in this closed-basin lake.

Henry Kiprono Koech. (2026). A Lake with No Exit: A Meta-Analysis of Metal and Organochlorine Contamination in Lake Nakuru, Kenya, Across a Saline–Freshwater Inversion, 1972–2025. OSF Registries. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/MB3HN