Natural springs which originate from hilly areas of Skardu in Pakistan make their route downward and are utilized by the public as they passes from residential areas. Due to weathering processes in mountainous regions, these springs can be the source of various trace elements and pollutants. Keeping in mind the same concept, ten mostly used freshwater springs were selected to evaluate their drinking water quality in the Skardu region. Three samples of water from each spring (start/mouth, 100 m away from the mouth, and 200 m away from mouth) were collected and analyzed for water quality via Water Quality Index (WQI). The main parameters of spring water were recorded in the laboratory as electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and secondary parameters, i.e., Kelley's ratio (KR), permeability index (PI), and WQI, were derived. Besides these parameters, heavy metal pollutants (Cd, Cr, Mn, and Cu) were also determined from the water samples. The results showed that the assessed parameters TDS, SSP, KR, and PI were found within the safer limits of drinking water as prescribed by the Pak-EPA and WHO. However, among trace elements, only Cd (0.03 mg L) was found above the permissible limits of 0.01 mg L as given by the GOP-EPA (2008) and WHO (1996) at Shigri Bala spring 200 m away. Similarly, at 2 ft from the mouth of Chumig S1 spring, its concentrations were recorded 0.03 mg L, and at Benazir Chowk spring (100 m away), it was found 0.02 mg L. In general, the Water WQI demonstrates that springs have good water quality. Our findings are useful for the environmental protection managers and citizens of the Skardu concerned with the water quality of the springs.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11818-5DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

water quality
28
water
11
trace elements
8
drinking water
8
quality
7
springs
6
spring
5
surface water
4
quality assessment
4
skardu
4

Similar Publications

Addressing the global challenge of ensuring access to safe drinking water, especially in developing countries, demands cost-effective, eco-friendly, and readily available technologies. The persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential of organic pollutants arising from various human activities pose substantial hurdles. While high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) is a widely utilized technique for identifying pollutants in water, the multitude of structures for a single elemental composition complicates structural identification.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dry deposition is an important yet poorly constrained process that removes reactive organic carbon from the atmosphere, making it unavailable for airborne chemical reactions and transferring it to other environmental systems. Using an aircraft-based measurement method, we provide large-scale estimates of total gas-phase organic carbon deposition rates and fluxes. Observed deposition rates downwind of large-scale unconventional oil operations reached up to 100 tC hour, with fluxes exceeding 0.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Drinking contaminated water is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa, where access to safe drinking water is limited. Although numerous studies have investigated the bacteriological quality of drinking water in Ethiopia, their findings have been inconsistent and varied, hindering the implementation of effective water quality monitoring. Moreover, there is a lack of nationwide assessment of the bacteriological quality of drinking water in Ethiopia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The present study aimed to investigate the hydrogeochemical patterns and contamination of the radiogeology, especially radon activity, related to geothermal aquifer properties and to perform a risk assessment of annual effective doses covering all hydrothermal spring attractions in Southern Thailand. Radon is an established lung carcinogen; especially longer term exposure to radioactive radon through inhalation could be a cause of lung cancer risk. Altogether 22 hydrothermal spring samples were collected from the six hydrothermal provinces in Southern Thailand in early November of 2023.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Complexities of riverfront development for the hilly city of Paonta Sahib in India.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int

January 2025

Water Resources Development and Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India.

The rapid urbanization, industrial growth, and socio-cultural activities along riverbanks in hilly cities are transforming land use and intensifying water infrastructure challenges. Paonta Sahib, a culturally significant town in Himachal Pradesh on the Yamuna River, along the foothills of the Himalayas exemplifies these pressures due to its religious tourism, industrialization, and mining activities. This study explores sustainable riverfront development at Paonta Sahib, addressing socio-cultural, environmental, and technical concerns essential for eco-sensitive urban planning.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!