Health Risk Assessment for Trace Metals, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water of Cankiri, Turkey

Emrah Caylak

doi:10.1155/2012/172135

Abstract

Lifetime exposure to trace metals, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), trihalomethanes (THMs), and the other chemicals in drinking water through ingestion, and dermal contact may pose risks to human health. In this study, drinking water samples were collected from 50 sampling sites from Cankiri and its towns during 2010. The concentrations of all pollutants were analyzed, and then compared with permissible limits set by Turkish and WHO. For health risk assessment of trace metals, chronic daily intakes (CDIs) via ingestion and dermal contact, hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI) were calculated by using statistical formulas. For ingestion pathway, the maximum HQ values of As-non cancer in central Cankiri and Kursunlu town were higher than one. Considering dermal adsorption pathway, the mean and maximum HQ values were below one. HI values of As-non cancer in central Cankiri and Kursunlu town were also higher than one. Each trace metal (As-non cancer, B, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Sb) of the mean HI values were slightly below unity. Risks of As, PAHs, THMs, and benzene on human health were then evaluated using carcinogenic risk (CR). It is indicated that CRs of As and THMs were also found >10−5in drinking water of Cankiri might exert potential carcinogenic risk for people. These assessments would point out required drinking water treatment strategy to ensure safety of consumers.

Highlights

Supplying safe and good quality drinking water to humans has been the most important duty of all governments
The highest Sb concentrations were found in samples from Korgun town followed by those determined in Bayramoren town (MaxV 3.0 μg/L) and Sabanozu town (MaxV 2.5 μg/L)
These results showed that total THM pose little cancer risk to Cankiri residents through ingestion exposure

Summary

Introduction

Supplying safe and good quality drinking water to humans has been the most important duty of all governments. Main drinking water pollutants are trace metals, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), trihalomethanes (THMs) and the other organic chemicals such as benzene. The present study was conducted to investigate trace metal (As, B, Cd, Cn, Cr, Cu, Cl, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Sn) concentrations of drinking water samples in Cankiri, Turkey. These THM species are considered as probable carcinogens for humans[14] Other chemical pollutants such as benzene, 1,2-di / tri / tetra / chloroethane, epichloridine, vinyl chloride, and acrylamide have been reported in drinking water, which are suspected to be human carcinogens. This study aimed to ascertain the potential health risk of PAHs, THMs and the other organic chemicals with carcinogenic risks in Cankiri, Turkey

Objectives

Results

Conclusion