title: Effect of mercury and arsenic from industrial effluents on the drinking water and comparison of the water quality of polluted and non-polluted areas: a case study of Peshawar and Lower Dir.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to find out the sources of mercury and arsenic pollution of water in the industrial area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Samples of effluents, mud, and water were collected from the target area (industrial area of Peshawar), the area of water supply source, and from the less polluted area, the Lower Dir district, as the control. Hg was determined by the cold vapor generation technique, while arsenic was determined using the electrothermal atomic absorption technique. Data of the water from the industrial area were compared with that of the source area, control area, as well as with the WHO and some international drinking water quality standards. The results show that some parameters, i.e., TDS, DO, pH, and hardness, were more than the permissible limits. Textile and glass industries were found to be the major sources of Hg and As pollution. Downstream dilution of these contaminants was also observed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishaq
authors.forename: F Akbar
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Murad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ihsanullah
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shakirullah
authors.lastname: Roohullah
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007221:Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D010154:Pakistan; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical; D060753:Water Quality / Q000592:standards*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury; D001151:Arsenic