Author/Authors :
Mosaferi، Mohammad نويسنده National Public Health Management Center (NPMC), Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , , Shakerkhatibi، Mohammad نويسنده Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , , Dastgiri، Saeid نويسنده Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran , , Asghari Jafar-abadi، Mohammad نويسنده Medical Education Research Center, Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran , , Khataee، Alireza نويسنده Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran , , Sheykholeslami، Samira نويسنده Center of Student Researches, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran ,
Abstract :
Natural contamination of surface and groundwater resources with arsenic is a worldwide problem. The present study aimed to investigate and report on the quality of drinking water resources with special focus on arsenic presence in an urban part of Iran. Arsenic concentrations were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS). In both surface and groundwater samples, arsenic concentrations ranged from 6 - 61 µg/L with an average value of 39 ± 20 µg/L. Concentration of arsenic, which was up to six times greater than guideline values (10 µg/L) indicates the presence of arsenic bearing materials in the geological structure of the region. It was found that the quality of treated surface water produced by the water treatment facility was good in respect to arsenic (9 µg/L) and solid content (EC = µs/cm). However, in drinking water samples of wells, total solids (mean EC = 1580 ± 150 µs/cm), total hardness (mean = 479 + 94 mg/L as CaCO3) and arsenic (mean = 42 + 16 µg/L) were significantly higher. Correspondingly, there was a significant correlation between arsenic concentration and EC, Na+, K+ and Cl- values. The type of water in most of groundwater samples (70%) was determined as HCO3-Na+. Considering the population of the city and probable health effects due to exposure to arsenic through drinking water, comprehensive measures as well as application of arsenic removal processes in water treatment facilities and replacement of contaminated wells with safe wells are required.
