Study of As, Pb and Cd presence in drinking water of groundwater sources of Ferdows and Tabas area

Consumption of water contaminated with heavy metals can result adverse health effects in people. Standard value of drinking water was determined 10, 10 and 3µg/L for As, Pb and Cd in Iran. According to the determination of arsenic contamination in some parts of the country, Study of drinking water resources must be done in all regions of the country at once. The present study aimed to determine the amount of arsenic, cadmium and lead in groundwater resources of Ferdows and Tabas area.
A total of 4 wells of the city and the villages around Ferdows city and 5 wells and 3 mineral spring in Tabas city and its surroundings for supplying drinking water were sampled by standard method. Physicochemical parameters (EC, Eh, pH)were measured using a portable pH meter at the location. The heavy metals amount were determined by ICP-MS instrument. In studied samples, Cadmium and lead concentrations were less than limits of drinking water standards in the country and these metals pollutants do not exist in the waters of these areas, but arsenic concentrations exceeded from allowed level (10 μg/L) in two districts of Tabas and one area of Ferdows. The highest positive correlation of arsenic was found with pH and Eh. Due to high complication of arsenic contamination in drinking water and increasing use of groundwater as a source of drinking water in the country, it is necessary, in areas where arsenic contamination is higher than standard limit to replace by healthy sources as soon as possible and the periodic control should be on the agenda of responsible organizations for concentrations of arsenic in drinking water for residential areas.