Determination of arsenic concentration and physiochemical characteristics of water samples from Babagorgor fountain

Since Babagorgor fountain in the Ghorveh city of Kurdistan province is located in the arsenic belt of Iran, to raise awareness about the quality of drinking water from this fountain the concentration of arsenic and other heavy metals as well as other physicochemical parameters were investigated to protect the public health. In this study, water samples were collected from Babagorgor fountain. Arsenic in the water was measured by field and laboratory methods. Its concentration was estimated to be more than 500 ppb in a field method and 596 ppb in a SDDC method with absorbance measurements at 520 nm. The SDDC method can measure arsenic species separately and the concentration of arsenite and arsenate were found to be 239 and 357 ppb, respectively. Other physiochemical parameters and heavy metals in the fountain water were evaluated according to standard methods. According to the World Health Organization guidelines the maximum safe level of arsenic in drinking water is 10 ppb. The concentration of arsenic in this fountain’s water is estimated at 60 times the limit and therefore its use is very dangerous for public health.