Mohammad Mosaferi
1*, Mohammad Shakerkhatibi
2, Saeid Dastgiri
3, Mohammad Asghari Jafar-abadi
4, Alireza Khataee
5, Samira Sheykholeslami
61 Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
2 Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
3 Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
4 4Medical Education Research Center, Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
5 5Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, IR Iran
6 6Center 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.