Heavy metal contamination of drinking water in the city of Baiji

Abstract

In order to ascertain water quality for human consumption and determined the sources of contamination, heavy metal were evaluated in the drinking water supplies to the city of Baji and its surrounding villages in Iraq. Standard methods were used for determining the concentration of some heavy metal such as Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn in drinking water samples by atomic absorption spectrophotometer supplied with a carbon rode atomizer to increase the sensitivity. The results showed that the amount of lead present in the drinking water is too high and ranges from 0.06±
0.03 to 0.14± 0.02 ppm , cadmium value were from the below detection limit to 0.01 ppm, copper value were ranges from 0.21± 0.08 to 0.58± 0.04 and zinc value were ranges from 1.57 ±0.37 to 2.30±0.45.