Heavy metals in drinking water and human health, Egypt

Abstract

PurposeThis study seeks to find out if chronic exposure via drinking water to high doses of a mixture of metals found as contaminants in tap and bottled water sources can alter the systemic physiology of residents.Design/methodology/approachA case control study was designed, 18 subjects drinking mainly tap water as main group (group I) and 15 subjects drinking exclusively bottled water as control group (group II) for a minimum of two years. Cadmium, lead, chromium and iron concentrations in drinking tap and bottled water samples were measured. The effect potential of the same metals were evaluated by assessing liver and kidney functions and haemoglobin levels for the studied subjects.FindingsIron concentration was found to be significantly higher in drinking tap water samples compared to bottled. Chromium, lead and iron were significantly higher in blood samples of group I subjects compared to the control group. Blood creatinine levels were positively correlated with that of chromium and cadmium of group I; and chromium levels of group II. Urea levels was positively correlated with lead levels of group I. Haemoglobin was positively correlated with iron blood levels of group I and negatively with lead levels of group II. No appreciable changes were found in the blood clinical markers of the liver functions of either group.Originality/valueThis study gives a concise idea about the higher level of some heavy metals in tap water compared to bottled and how heavy metal contaminants in drinking water may affect kidney function and haemoglobin level of consumers.

Comparison of Trace Elements in Bottled and Desalinated Household Drinking Water in Kuwait

“…Comparison of the percent dietary reference intake (%DRI) of nutritional trace elements in non-carbonated bottled water (BW) and household water (HW). Estonia [92] Canada-1 b) [93] Canada-2 c) [93] Egypt [94] Turkey [28] India [95] Kuwait [31] This study d) Table 4 compares the mean values of the TEs in the BW brands that were available in Kuwaiti markets and those from other countries in different parts of the world. The same comparison for HW is illustrated in Tab.…”

“…Italy [58] Germany [96] Moscow [97] Norway [98] Estonia [92] Canada [93] Egypt [94] China [99] Japan [100] Malaysia [101] Kuwait [31] This study Mean values of all trace elements are in mg L À1 .…”

Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa

“…Metals enter into surface water and groundwater through weathering of rocks [1][2][3] or from human activities including mining, industrial wastes or airborne particulate matter [4,5]. Groundwater pollution due to heavy metals where it is used as a source of drinking water [6][7][8] and the possible risk to human health has been studied widely [9,10]. This is because certain heavy metals are required for normal functioning of the human body, but exposure to excess concentration of heavy metals may lead to health risks.…”

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Maltese Potable Water

“…The mean concentrations of cadmium, chromium, iron and lead in the Maltese samples were found to be lower than the mean concentrations in tap water samples from different districts of Shebin El-Kom city, Menoufiya in Egypt in a study by Badr et al [15].…”