POLLUTED IRRIGATION WATERS AS A RISK FACTOR TO PUBLIC HEALTH

Abstract

Complex investigations of agro-ecosystems adjacent to a huge mining set of plants located within the city of Kapan were performed with a goal to identify risk factors to the health of local populace. A basic factor of pollution of agro-ecosystems is heavy metal enriched ore waters from adits and industrial water streams freely emptying into the irrigation network. Farm crops growing under conditions of pollution accumulate a series of heavy metals and microelements.

Keywords

• heavy metals
• irrigation water pollution
• soil pollution