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. 2017:2017:3037651.
doi: 10.1155/2017/3037651. Epub 2017 Oct 15.

Assessment of Availability and Human Health Risk Posed by Arsenic Contaminated Well Waters from Timis-Bega Area, Romania

Marin Senila  1 , Erika Levei  1 , Oana Cadar  1 , Lacrimioara Ramona Senila  1 , Marius Roman  1 , Ferenc Puskas  2 , Mihaela Sima  3
Affiliations

Assessment of Availability and Human Health Risk Posed by Arsenic Contaminated Well Waters from Timis-Bega Area, Romania

Marin Senila et al. J Anal Methods Chem. 2017.

Abstract

Mobilization of As from geological materials into ground and drinking water sources may represent an important threat to human health. The objective of this study was to assess the As concentration and availability in underground water used as drinking water sources. Water samples were collected from public and private wells in Timis-Bega area of Pannonian Basin, West Romania. Total-dissolved As measured after "classical" filtration of water samples was in the range of 0.10-168 μg L-1, thus exceeding the guideline value in majority of the samples. The aim of this study was also to assess the "truly dissolved" concentrations of As considered as available concentrations, in well waters, after passive sampling by Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT). The results showed that over 70% of total-dissolved As is in available forms. The obtained data were used to evaluate the risks of using the wells as drinking water source. Hazard quotients for ingestion and dermal pathways and hazard index (HI) for exposure to As were calculated. The HI values > 1 found that majority of samples indicated a health risk for local residents.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Location of the study area in Romania and the sampling sites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Total-dissolved (pattern bar) and bioavailable (solid bar) concentrations of As in water samples, and the MAC for As in drinking water (horizontal solid line).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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