Determination Of Toxic Metals Research Articles

Potential toxicity of iron ore tailings after the overflow of a mining dam in Nova Lima (Minas Gerais State, Brazil)

In January 2022, the Pau Branco Mine dam in Nova Lima (MG), under the responsibility of Vallourec, overflowed after intense rainfall and iron ore tailings impacted surrounding soils and aquatic ecosystems. These tailings can alter the natural composition of soils and rivers, poising risks on soil biota. This study consists of a preliminary evaluation of potential toxicity of terrigenous materials impacted by tailings from the Pau Branco Mine, based on acute bioassays with earthworms (Eisenia andrei) and germination tests with lettuce (Lactuca sativa). The physical and chemical characterization and determination of toxic metals in the samples supported the interpretation of the ecotoxicological data. The results indicated that the tailing deposition induced the increase in particle density, due to the increase in iron concentrations in the samples. As a consequence, the water holding capacity (WHC) of the materials and organic matter concentrations were dramatically reduced. Given that the mining tailings exhibit fine texture, their depositions on soils increased the percentage of fines particles (silt) in the samples. Metal determination revealed geochemical anomalies for nickel, copper and chromium, whose concentrations exceeded the threshold limits defined by Brazilian law for soil and aquatic sediment quality. The bioassays with earthworms showed no significant earthworm mortality, indicating low acute toxicity. However, earthworm biomass was significantly reduced, suggesting that they were submitted to some stress induced by the exposure to contaminants and/or by the reduction of the organic matter contents (food scarcity) and WHC (water scarcity). The bioassays with lettuce showed no significant effects on germination levels. However, the seedling biomass was significantly reduced due, possibly, to the reduction of WHC and especially due to the increase of fines particles in the samples, which tends to inhibit the establishment of the root systems.

Hybrid biomaterials to preconcentrate and determine toxic metals and metalloids: a review.

Toxic elements represent a serious threat to the environment and cause harmful effects on different environmental components, even at trace levels. These toxic elements are often difficult to detect through the typical instrumentation of an analytical laboratory because they are found at very low concentrations in matrices such as food and water. Therefore, preconcentration plays a fundamental role since it allows the effects of the matrixto be minimized, thus reaching lower detection limits and greater sensitivity of detection techniques. In recent years, solid-phase extraction has been successfully used for the preconcentration of metals as an environmentally friendly technique due to the fact that it eliminates or minimizes the use of reagents and solvents and offers reduced analysis times and low generation of waste in the laboratory. Hybrid biomaterials are low-cost, eco-friendly, and useful as efficient solid phases for the preconcentration of elements. In this review, recent investigations based on the use of hybrid biomaterials for the preconcentration and determination of toxic metals are presented and discussed, given special attention to bionanomaterials. A brief description of hybrid biomaterials often used for analytical purposes, as well as analytical techniques mostly used to characterize the hybrid biomaterials, is explained. Finally, the future prospects that encourage the search for new hybrid biomaterials are commentedupon.

Green microextraction approach focuses on air-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid with solidified floating organic drop for preconcentration and determination of toxic metals in water and wastewater samples

Green microextraction approach focuses on air-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid with solidified floating organic drop for preconcentration and determination of toxic metals in water and wastewater samples

Determination of toxic metals in canned tuna sold in developed and developing countries: Health risk assessment associated with human consumption

This study investigated toxic metal levels in a total of 222 canned tuna sampled from 36 countries (developed and developing) during 2017–2019. For this purpose, four toxic metals (Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Under the optimized conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the instrument ranged from 0.025 to 0.18 and from 0.54 to 0.045 ppb, respectively, with recoveries in the range of 98 %–108 %. Moreover, noncancer risk using the target hazard quotient (THQ) of each of the four toxic metals was assessed, and cancer risk using the target cancer risk (TCR) of inorganic arsenic (iAs) was evaluated. The THQ values of Hg were higher than the limits of safe (THQ ˃1) and TCR showed the carcinogenic risk for iAs for consumers when consuming more than one meal of canned tuna per week.

Whole-Body Toxic Metals and Morphometric Measurements in Brown Shrimp Penaeus aztecus in the Gulf of Mexico

Fishing of the brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus is an important socioeconomic activity, generating income and different jobs for the fishing sector; however, this species is exposed to contaminants such as toxic metals. The objective of this research was to determine the concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni in brown shrimp P. aztecus from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, and to analyse morphometric measurements in this species. The determination of toxic metals in shrimp was carried out according to the method proposed by the USEPA. Sexual identification was carried out by examining the first pleopods of P. aztecus specimens; the stages of maturity and proportion of sexes were also determined, finding specimens at maturity stages I and II. Specimens collected in the Veracruz area presented higher morphometric values, with an average TL of 136.15 mm. It was identified in the same area that the batches were formed by a higher proportion of males at 72.2%. Ni was the metal with the highest concentration in the Veracruz area at 15.5 µg g−1, while Pb had a maximum concentration of 8.3 µg g−1. The concentrations obtained for the toxic metals in the shrimp exceeded the values of the international permissible limits established for Pb and Cd.

Development and shelf-life assessment of soft-drink with honey

This scientific work describes research that aims to determine the physicochemical parameters of homogenized honey and its safety indicators based on the determination of toxic metals and radionuclides. A series of experimental studies were conducted to develop and study recipes for honey water based on different types of honey collected in the Lviv region of Ukraine, namely acacia, buckwheat, sunflower, coriander, goldenrod, linden, and weeds. According to the results of experiments, it was found that the studied honey meets all the requirements presented in the standard for natural honey. And the results obtained to determine the dry matter content and pH allowed to blend different types of honey and get honey drinks, which will expand the range of non-carbonated products, which is very popular, especially in summer, and drink this drink during the year. To prolong the shelf life of honey drinks, it is recommended to add citric acid in an amount of 1% by weight of the drink and sodium benzoate as a preservative in an amount of 0.1%. The quality of the obtained honey water samples was assessed using organoleptic evaluation and physicochemical parameters. The resulting beverages have good organoleptic characteristics and can be offered for products in the industry.

Determination of toxic metals in commonly consumed medicinal plants largely used in Peru by ICP-MS and their impact on human health

The concentrations of As, Pb and Cd in leaves of the most consumed medicinal plants in the central highlands of Peru “eucalipto” - Eucalyptus globulus Labill and “muña” - Minthostachys mollis (Kunth) Griseb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The composite foliage samples were collected in areas of the districts of Quilcas and Saño in the province of Huancayo. The decreasing order of the mean concentrations of toxic metals in E. globulus was Pb > Cd > As, and in M. mollis Pb > As > Cd. In E. globulus , the highest mean concentration of Pb (2.14 mg Kg ‒1 ) was recorded in Quilcas, of Cd (0.39 mg Kg ‒1 ) and As (0.06 mg Kg ‒1 ) in Saño. In M. mollis , the highest mean concentration of Pb (1.84 mg Kg ‒1 ) was recorded in Quilcas, of Cd (0.06 mg Kg ‒1 ) and As (0.06 mg Kg ‒1 ) in Saño. The PCA revealed two components that accounted for approximately 62.92% of the total data variation. Hazard index values for all the metals studied through the consumption of E. globulus and M. mollis leaves for the Saño and Quilcas sectors were less than 1. This indicates that there is no significant non-carcinogenic health risk for drinkers of infusions of these plants.

The Determination of Toxic Metals in some Traditional Cosmetic Products and Health Risk Assessment.

In present study, the levels of some toxic elements in 19 different home-made cosmetic products (spray hair dye, henna, tattoo, eyeliner, eye mascara, smear, lip moisturizer, and lipstick) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) after microwave digestion. The ICP-MS results were verified by the analyzing certificated reference material (EnviroMAT Drinking Water, High).The detection limit (LOD) was set from 0.1 to 0.2 and the quantification limit (LOQ) from 0.2 to 0.8μgL-1 and the recoveries estimated from 99% to 109%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) (%) for elements was determined in the range of 0.9 and 2.1%. Although various concentrations of arsenic (As),cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), cupper (Cu), and nickel (Ni) were determined in some samples, lead (Pb) concentration was found in all the samples. Data obtained were compared with the permissible limit of cosmetic products by the WHO. The concentration of Pb in smear samples was higher than the permitted limit created by the WHO, and Ni concentration in the some samples exceeds the limit set by the WHO. The rank order of toxic elements based on THQ index was Cr > Pb > Ni. The potential non-carcinogenic was considerably lower than the safe risk limits (THQ > 1).

Determination of Toxic Metals in Tobacco from Selected Imported Cigarette Brands and Local Tobacco in Iraqi Markets: TOXIC METALS DETERMINATION OF TOBACCO

Metals are essential in many physiological processes in the human body, but can also be detrimental to our health when the concentration is not within recommended permissible limits. Various types of cigarettes were selected from the local markets in Iraq in addition to the Iraqi tobacco from Sulaymaniyah governorate to conduct tests of the elements in these species. The selected samples were tested using EDX instrument. Results proved the presence of dangerous elements such as Cr, Ni, Zn, As, Al, P, S, Pb, Cd, Sn and Sb in quantities which could greatly affect the health of the smoker and have negative effects to the environment. The real danger is the result of the accumulation of these elements in the smoker's body, in the lungs, liver, blood or brain, the effects of which are chronic and dangerous, and can threaten the life of the person in the future. An acid digestion method was used to break down the organic matter in tobacco to release these elements, and solutions to measure their concentrations were prepared using an atomic absorption device.

Determination of toxic metals in leather by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) with emphasis on chromium.

The tanning industry is one of the largest environmental polluters due to high generation waste in all production processes, but the tanning is particularly worrisome due to the use of significant amounts of chromium. Cr is an element potentially toxic to both health and the environment, depending on the concentration and the oxidation state. Cr(VI) can come in contact with human skin when using leather goods, which can cause allergies and dermatitis, besides being carcinogenic. Considering that approximately 90% of the world production of leather is performed with Cr salts, the determination of this element in leather is necessary to avoid exposure to the risks that the element can provide. The main goal of this study was the development ofan alternative analytical method for the determination of Cr in leathers (ovine and bovine leather tanned with Cr and vegetable tannin) using wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) for direct solid analysis. Besides performing analysis of the chemical composition and determination of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sr, Ti, and Zn in leather by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Principal component analysis (PCA) was also used in the evaluation of the WDXRF and ICP OES data sets. WDXRF calibration models for Cr presented satisfactory figures of merit and the analysis of the leathers revealed an alarming concentration of total Cr in the samples reaching 21,353mgkg-1.

Determination of Toxic Metals in Fruits of Abelmoschus esculentus Grown in Contaminated Soils with Different Irrigation Sources by Spectroscopic Method

Heavy metal contamination of food crops irrigated with municipal wastewater is a growing problem worldwide. In this direction, heavy metal accumulations in Abelmoschus esculentus crops were irrigated with three different water regimes (municipal wastewater, groundwater, and canal water) as well as in soil and the water sources were determined. Also, transfer factors, enrichment coefficients, pollution load indices, and health risk indices were assessed to understand the metal transportation and accumulation through the food chain. The concentrations of heavy metals in soil, water and plant samples were analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite furnace and D2 corrector (Perkin–Elmer Model 503). Heavy metal concentrations in the irrigation water samples ranged between 0.513–0.951 for Mo, 0.256–0.615 for As, 0.266–0.606 for Se, 41.604–54.642 for Fe, 0.285–0.753 for Cu, 0.255–0.619 for Zn, 4.684–5.212 for Ni, 3.792–5.526 for Pb, 0.035–0.065 for Cd and 2.635–4.608 for Co mg/L. The contents of Mo, As, Se, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cd and Co in soil samples ranged from 5.03 to 7.80, 34.27 to 38.96, 2.41 to 2.54, 4.77 to 5.94, 2.89 to 3.36, 1.76 to 3.63, 35.02 to 37.32, 25.10 to 28.12, 2.42 to 3.20, and 5.76 to 5.99 mg/kg, respectively, and the contents of Mo, As, Se, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cd and Co in A. esculentus samples ranged from 7.003 to 9.291, 2.800 to 3.585, 0.378 to 0.485, 39.718 to 44.048, 11.791 to 19.840, 28.203 to 37.051, 6.085 to 9.330, 4.885 to 7.061, 3.375 to 4.198, and 0.128 to 0.328 mg/kg, respectively. The range values of metal accumulation in A. esculentus samples were lower than the maximum permissible limits in plant samples except for Mo and Cd. Statistically, Se, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cd and Co concentrations did not vary significantly at all sites, while As, Mo, Cu, and Pb concentrations varied significantly in the vegetable samples.

Metals in geopropolis from beehive of Melipona scutellaris in urban environments

Geopropolis, a different type of propolis, presents a mixture of resin and exudates, containing wax, silt, and sand particles. This product has been the subject of research interest for its physicochemical properties, economic importance, and likely for environmental monitoring. The determination of toxic metals in hive products has been reported as an efficient tool for environmental monitoring. As the honey production is now common in urban environments, this study aimed to determine the concentration of toxic metals in the Melipona scutellaris geopropolis of the Metropolitan Region of Salvador, Bahia. Geopropolis and soil samples were collected from seven important beehives between June 2015 and July 2016. After EPA 3050B acid digestion procedure, metals were determined by ICP OES. As the geopropolis is partially made from soil, the values of Cr and Fe were extremely more important than the values reported in propolis, wax, and honey found in other worldwide studies. It gives different characteristics to this product depending on the location of the hive and characterizes it as an efficient integrating indicator of soil pollution. Using the enrichment factor, we determined that the soils around the meliponary are not or only slightly polluted by Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn. However, there was a shift in the particle size of geopropolis, being loamier and less sandy than the surrounding soil. In such case, a higher metal content could be expected, though no metal enrichment in the geopropolis was found, even a decrease in zinc, possibly due to the exclusion of metals by bees, was noted. Nevertheless, the results on the proportions of lithogenic metal and anthropogenic metal indicate that some metals have an external origin (about 20% for Ni and Cu). Geopropolis can be considered as a good environmental indicator even in low contaminated areas.

Toxic inorganic pollutants in foods from agricultural producing areas of Southern Italy: Level and risk assessment

This study focused on the inorganic environmental contaminants in specific food products which form part of the food chain of the population residing in the area of Southern Italy (Gela) where there is a high mortality rate linked to tumor diseases and congenital malformations. Determination of toxic metals was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The toxicological data for every toxic element has been applied to evaluate the risk for the consumer by calculating the amount of potentially toxic element that would ingest an average of 60kg weight individual adult. The analysis of the investigated samples shows a high level of metal contamination which can be linked both to the polluted water and air. The obtained results give us an idea about the agricultural products contamination and possible exposure of local people through the food chain.

The environmental impacts of one of the largest tailing dam failures worldwide

The impacts of the SAMARCO iron tailing spill along more than 650 km, between the dam and the plume of the Doce River in the Atlantic, were assessed by the determination of toxic metals. The tailing spill caused a substantial increase in suspended sediment loads (up to 33,000 mg L−1), in addition to large depositions of waste along the Doce basin. The highest estimated transport of dissolved metals was observed for Fe (58.8 μg s−1), Ba (37.9 μg s−1) and Al (25.0 μg s−1). Sediments reached the highest enrichment factors (EFs) for Hg (4,234), Co (133), Fe (43), and Ni (16), whereas As (55), Ba (64), Cr (16), Cu (17), Mn (41), Pb (38) and Zn (82) highest EFs were observed for suspended particulate matter (SPM). Iron, As, Hg, Mn exceeded sediment quality guidelines. Therefore, the risk of occurrence of adverse effects is highly possible, not only due to the dam failure, but also due to the Fe mining and the artisan Au mining. Heavy rain episodes will likely cause enhanced erosion, remobilization, and transport of contaminated particles, sustaining high inputs of SPM and metals for the years to come and threatening the ecosystem services.

Determination of toxic metals in drinking water sources in the Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, South Africa

This study was conducted to determine the presence and levels of toxic metals on selected water sources in a rural community in Lochiel, South Africa. Collection of water samples from identified drinking water sources (open wells, community tanks, water treatment works and boreholes) was done in all seasons of the year (winter, spring, summer and autumn) between 2014 and 2015. The concentrations of identified toxic metals (cobalt, chromium, copper, lead, zinc, manganese and iron) were measured using ICP-OES. Some water sources were found to contain concentrations of toxic metals at levels slightly higher than USEPA, WHO and SANS241 set limits (e.g. manganese and cobalt), while others were found to be within the acceptable limits. This suggested that the residents residing in locations that have water sources containing toxic metals at the concentrations above the set limits are at risk and susceptible to suffer diseases caused by these toxic metals. The side effects of the metals may not be acute; however prolonged exposure to the toxic metals may result in detrimental effects since they are known to bioaccumulate in the body.

Determination of toxic metals, trace and essentials, and macronutrients in Sarpa salpa and Chelon labrosus: risk assessment for the consumers.

Due to increased environmental pollution, monitoring of contaminants in the environment and marine organisms is a fundamental tool for assessing the existence of risk from their consumption to human health. The levels of toxic heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Al), trace and essential metals (B, Ba, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn), and macronutrients (Ca, K, Mg, Na) in two species of fish for human consumption were quantified in the present study. Eighty samples of muscle tissue and 80 samples of liver tissue belonging to two species of Osteichthyes fish; Sarpa salpa and Chelon labrosus were analyzed. The studied specimens were caught on the northern coast of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands) with fishing rods. As they caught from the shore, they are suitable samples for assessing the toxic levels of representative species caught by local amateur fishermen. The results show that both species are fit for human consumption since they have toxic levels of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Al) which are below the maximum established levels; however, the toxic levels of the liver samples are several orders of magnitude higher than the muscle samples, so we discourage their regular consumption. The risk assessment indicated that the two species of fish are safe for the average consumer; however, if the livers of these species are consumed, there could be risks because they exceed the PTWI for Pb and the TWI for Cd.

Validation and Application of Ultrasound-assisted Extraction Coupled with ICP-MS for Determination of Toxic Metals in Fine Particles

Analysis of chemical compositions of fine particle matters (PM2.5) in contaminated atmospheres has increasingly become a great concern of both scientific and technological importance because the contaminant concentrations of PM2.5 are playing an important role in affecting PM2.5-induced adverse effects on environment and human health. In this paper, ultrasound-assisted extraction coupled with ICP-MS was developed for a simultaneous quantification of 12 toxic elements (Be, Al, Cr, Mn, Ni, As, Se, Sb, Tl, Pb, Hg and Cd) in PM2.5 samples. The proposed method was validated with several parameters, namely linearity of calibration, precision and accuracy, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The accuracy of the proposed method was validated with recovery tests of different samples spiked with corresponding elements at known concentrations (5, 10 and 20 μg/L) and the average percent recovery varied in the range of 87.3–101.3%. The results showed that this method was a multi-element technique featuring high precision and accuracy as well as low LOD. This proposed method was applied to a simultaneous determination of the 12 target elements in atmospheric fine particles collected from a heavily polluted urban residential area in China, and showed that the particles were rich in Al, Pb and Mn, followed by As, Sb, Cr, Cd, Se and Ni. The main advantages of the ultrasound-assisted extraction process were fast sample treatment and low consumption of reagents in the extraction process.

Construction of Disposable Carbon-Based Electrochemical Cells By Using Electronic Craft Cutter for Sensor and Biosensor Applications

With the advent of disposable carbon-based electrodes, the development of sensors and biosensors has become much more accessible. The techniques normally used to fabricate disposable carbon-based electrodes are screen-printing and inkjet printing. However, both techniques are costly and involve time-consuming operations1. In this work, a new, fast, and cost-effective prototyping process has been developed for the fabrication of disposable carbon-based electrochemical cells (DCell) using a simple procedure based on use of a cutter printer for prototyping and laminating. The layout of the homemade all-plastic carbon electrodes, comprising a working electrode (WE), a pseudo- reference electrode (RE), and a counter electrode (CE), was drawn using Silhouette Studio v. 2.7.4 software. The pattern was transferred to an adhesive vinyl film using an electronic craft cutter (Silhouette Cameo, Silhouette America, Inc.). The undesired portions were peeled off using tweezers, leaving the template of the electrochemical cell as a negative mask. Next, the vinyl with the template was attached to a polyester sheet (transparency film for laser printers, purchased in a local market) with dimensions of 21.0 cm × 29.7 cm. The carbon ink was then transferred using a squeegee, in three steps. First, the carbon ink (C2030519P4, Gwent Electronic Materials Ltd, UK) was poured onto the top of the vinyl mask surface and dragged across the template using the squeegee, resulting in ink deposited onto the polyester sheet with an average of 80 μm thickness (Figure 1). After curing the ink for 30 min at 60 ºC, Ag/AgCl ink (C2051014P10, Gwent Electronic Materials Ltd, UK) was deposited as the pseudo-reference electrode and then cured for 30 min at 60 ºC. After this, the vinyl mask was removed. Finally, a lamination process was used to define the geometric area and insulate the electrodes. This involved the use of a laminating pouch (purchased locally) consisting of a sheet of transparent polyester covered with a thin layer of polyethylene. The pouch was appropriately cut, using the cutting printer, and placed onto the polyester sheet with the screen-printed electrodes, followed by application of heat and pressure using a heater press. The DCell was applied in the determination of toxic metals in water samples, in the detection of NADH and Salmonella and, in the interaction of bisphenol A with DNA. The device showed excellent performance in the applications. Using the proposed method, hundreds of carbon based electrochemical cells could be assembled in less than two hours, at a materials cost of less than US$ 0.02 per cell. The new proposed prototyping process opens up new avenues for the development of disposable electrochemical devices for applications as sensors and biosensors. Acknowledgments: This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, Proc. No. 2012/09752-2, 2012/24079-2, and 2013/06750-1) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Proc. No. 474110/2013-3). 1. N. Thiyagarajan, J.-L. Chang, K. Senthilkumar, and J.-M. Zen, Electrochem. commun., 38, 86–90 (2014) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388248113004451.

Determination of Toxic Metals in Cephalopods from South Korea

ABSTRACTThis study determined lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and aluminum in six cephalopod species commercially available to consumers in South Korea. The samples were prepared by microwave-assisted acid digestion and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for As, Pb, and Cd and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for Al. Hg was determined by a direct mercury analyzer with furnace-gold amalgation. Linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy, and recovery measurements were performed for validation. The analytical results showed that the average concentrations of metals were in decreasing order of Al>As>Cd>Pb>Hg. Paroctopus dofleini contained relatively high concentrations of Pb (0.43 mg/kg) and As (14.6 mg/kg); Todarodes pacificus contained high Cd (15.0 mg/kg), whereas Al (40.4 mg/kg) was highest in Loligo beka. Using the guidelines specified by Korean Food Regulations, the United Nations, and the European Commission, we found that the concentrations of these metals in the cephalopods studied were low and did not pose any threat to consumers.

Determination of toxic metals in water of Lahore canal by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Present study describes the atomic absorption Spectro-photometric determination of metals (Ni, Cr, Zn, Fe, As & Cu) in the surface water of Lahore canal passing through the center of Lahore (city) Pakistan. Analysis showed that month wise average Ni, Zn and As concentrations lies within the National Environmental Quality Standards limits for these metals as designed by Environmental protection agency Pakistan, while Cr, Fe and Cu showed marked rise in their month wise average concentrations from their limiting values.