Measurement of heavy metal concentrations in groundwater

Abstract

Water pollution is one of the main concerns in the world today. There are three main types of water pollution: chemical, physical, and biological. In this paper, we consider heavy metals as water pollutants. Heavy metals present a serious problem for human health and ecosystems. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze heavy metals in groundwater (drinking water) in the region of Tapiza, Albania. Capacity of groundwater through wells installed in this area is used for supply and distribution of drinking water to the community of Tapiza. We collected a total of 16 groundwater samples. Analyses of heavy metals arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, and lead in the groundwater were performed at the Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics, University of Tirana, Albania, using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The results showed that concentration of heavy metals in groundwater samples are in these ranges: As (2.6-9.2) μg/L; Cd (0-0.61) μg/L; Co (4.3-17.8) μg/L; Cu (7.5-28.4) μg/L, and Pb (0.96-5.84) μg/L Also, the concentration of analyzed metals found in groundwater samples is compared with the maximum contaminant level specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water.