Water Quality Index for measuring drinking water quality in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study
| Autor: | Tridib Roy Chowdhury, Milan Kanti Barua, Mahfuzar Rahman, Sabuj Kanti Mistry, Fahmida Akter, Digbijoy Dey, Fatema Tuz Jhohura, Akramul Islam, Tahera Akter |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Předmět: |
Salinity
Cross-sectional study Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Iron 0208 environmental biotechnology Water source chemistry.chemical_element Guidelines as Topic 02 engineering and technology WASH program BRAC Rural Health 010501 environmental sciences Chemical parameters World Health Organization 01 natural sciences pH meter Arsenic Environmental health Water Quality Humans 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Pollutant Bangladesh Family Characteristics Manganese business.industry Drinking Water Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Hydrogen-Ion Concentration Health Surveys 020801 environmental engineering Water quality index Cross-Sectional Studies chemistry Agriculture Environmental science Water quality business Algorithms Water Pollutants Chemical Food Science Research Article |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition |
| ISSN: | 2072-1315 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s41043-016-0041-5 |
| Popis: | Background Public health is at risk due to chemical contaminants in drinking water which may have immediate health consequences. Drinking water sources are susceptible to pollutants depending on geological conditions and agricultural, industrial, and other man-made activities. Ensuring the safety of drinking water is, therefore, a growing problem. To assess drinking water quality, we measured multiple chemical parameters in drinking water samples from across Bangladesh with the aim of improving public health interventions. Methods In this cross-sectional study conducted in 24 randomly selected upazilas, arsenic was measured in drinking water in the field using an arsenic testing kit and a sub-sample was validated in the laboratory. Water samples were collected to test water pH in the laboratory as well as a sub-sample of collected drinking water was tested for water pH using a portable pH meter. For laboratory testing of other chemical parameters, iron, manganese, and salinity, drinking water samples were collected from 12 out of 24 upazilas. Results Drinking water at sample sites was slightly alkaline (pH 7.4 ± 0.4) but within acceptable limits. Manganese concentrations varied from 0.1 to 5.5 mg/L with a median value of 0.2 mg/L. The median iron concentrations in water exceeded WHO standards (0.3 mg/L) at most of the sample sites and exceeded Bangladesh standards (1.0 mg/L) at a few sample sites. Salinity was relatively higher in coastal districts. After laboratory confirmation, arsenic concentrations were found higher in Shibchar (Madaripur) and Alfadanga (Faridpur) compared to other sample sites exceeding WHO standard (0.01 mg/L). Of the total sampling sites, 33 % had good-quality water for drinking based on the Water Quality Index (WQI). However, the majority of the households (67 %) used poor-quality drinking water. Conclusions Higher values of iron, manganese, and arsenic reduced drinking water quality. Awareness raising on chemical contents in drinking water at household level is required to improve public health. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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