Investigation of Water Quality from Tap Water and Filter Water in Two Towns in Iraq and the Effect of Some Metals on Human Health

Abstract

Objectives: This study includes comparative investigations of water quality from tap water and filter water from two towns in Iraq and the influence of impurities on human health. Methods: Laboratory analysis of water samples from tap water and filter drinking water from two main towns in Iraq were undertaken and the results compared with a control; a) drinking tap water samples, b) bottle still drinking water from a European country, and with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for water quality assessment. The laboratory study included measuring water quality properties such as; Acidity in pH units, Electrical Conductivity (EC), concentration of heavy metals namely Nickel, Zinc, Strontium, Copper, Sodium and Potassium, and an analysis of the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Results: The measured properties of the water samples from the filter drinking water are less than the values recommended by WHO quality guidelines for drinking water. Sodium content in tap water samples from Iraqi towns A and B are higher than the sodium contents in the control tap drinking water collected from a European country and significantly higher than the value of 20mg/L recommended by WHO guidelines. Whereas filtered drinking water samples have significantly less levels of sodium and the other measured metal concentrations. The percentage reductions in sodium content between filtered drinking water and tap water were 92.895% in town A and 89.852%.in town B. Conclusion: The metal contents in the filtered drinking water are significantly less than the concentrations found in both the tap and still bottle drinking water normally consumed in the European country. Sodium chloride contents in the tap water samples from both towns are high which can adversely affect those that consume it.