Toxicologia Ambiental e Analítica

Analysis of Physicochemical Parameters of Drinking Water in Samunaber and Piazza district, Gondar Town

Abstract

Bekele Gelagay, Sleshi Fente, Asnake Worku and Henok Birhanu

Physicochemical parameters; pH, Conductance (K), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Total Alkalinities (TA), Hardness, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Sulphate (SO₄^2-), Chloride (Cl^-), Fluoride (F^-), Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) were analyzed using standard analytical techniques. The mean values of physicochemical parameters in the town, higher values from the two districts are: pH (8.72 ± 0.15), Conductivity (362 μs ± 7.2 μs), Hardness (514 ppm ± 50.3 ppm as CaCO₃), DO (5.2 ppm ± 0.35 ppm), TDS (1566 ppm ± 58 ppm), COD (531 ppm ± 8.1 ppm), SO₄ ^3- (3.75 ppm ± 0.35 ppm), Cl- (162.1 ppm ± 2.0 ppm), F- (0.025 ppm ± 0.004 ppm), TA (30.0 ppm ± 1.2 ppm), Pb (0.130 ppm ± 0.010 ppm), Cd (0.0078 ppm ± 0.00035 ppm). The pH, Hardness, TDS, Pb and Cd higher values of the water samples analyzed in two districts of this study are not within the acceptable limits set by WHO for safe drinking water. However the maximum values of SO₄^2-, Cl^-, F^-, TA, conductivity, analyzed in the two districts are within the maximum permissible level set by the WHO (World Health Organization) for safe drinking water.