Potential health risk assessment due to the presence of toxic metals in drinking water from individual wells in the village of Dubravica in the Branicevo district

Abstract

In order to verify the content of macro- and microelements in drinking water in the village of Dubravica in the Branicevo district, which has no centralized water supply system, an analysis of the water sampled from two individual wells was conducted using the indirect method recommended by Rajkovic and associates. Tests on the RDA and AAS showed that: Al, Fe, Cr, Pb and U were in concentrations higher than the values allowed by Regulations on the hygienic quality of drinking water. To determine the risk of the presence of toxic metals in the elevated concentrations, the assessment of short-term and long-term potential carcinogenic risks was conducted. Based on the results obtained in the tested water samples, it is noticed that the value of the coefficient of risk (CR) was less than 1 for all potentially toxic metals that were determined in drinking water, which implies that there is no short-term carcinogenic potential risk to human health. Based on the results of the long-term potential risk for the occurrence and development of cancer, the risk of getting cancer of Cr was identified in the inhabitants of the village that used potable water of the first sample. In case of Pb, a risk of developing cancer, concerning the first sample of drinking water, may occur in 44 out of 1000 people and regarding the second sample, in 183 out of 1000 people. Based on the calculated estimates of the long-term health risk related to the presence of U in drinking water, it can be seen that there is a health risk related to the use of both water samples. On the basis of the calculated estimates of the long-term health risk related to the presence of uranium in drinking water, it can be noticed that the use of both water samples may lead to the potential risk of developing cancer: in 24.5 inhabitants regarding the first water sample and in 10.3 out of 1000 inhabitants in the case of the second water sample. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 43009]

Keywords

• drinking water
• microelements
• macroelements
• short-term health risk
• long-term health risk
• toxic metals