An In-Depth Analysis of Water Quality Using GIS and Heavy Metal Pollution Index near a Gold Mining Area, Qorveh, Iran

Introduction: Inappropriate management of mining activities may bring about water pollution and pose a heavy complication on aquatic ecosystem and humans. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of Qorveh gold mining activities on the quality of nearby groundwater. Materials and Methods: The concentration of seven eco-toxic metals along with some general hydrochemical parameters were investigated for 27 sampling stations in the study area using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and conventional hydrochemical methods. The analysis results were further applied to compute pollution indices, namely heavy metal pollution index (HPI) for irrigation purposes. Results: The main elements were within the World Health Organization (WHO) and Iranian National Water Standards (INWS) for irrigation water quality, except for NH4+ in some sampling points. The concentration of heavy metals followed the order Cu > Zn > Pb > Hg > Cd > As. The contents of Hg, As, Cd, and Cu in most sites were higher than the recommended values. Except for two stations, the value of HPI based on the mean concentration was found to be far beyond the critical pollution index value of 100, suggesting that the area is highly polluted with some heavy metals. Conclusion: Elevated concentration of trace elements found in groundwater of this area represented the release of harmful elements from gold mining activities on surrounding environment.

Comprehensive Spatio-temporal Benchmarking of Surface Water Quality of Hindon River, India– a Tributary of River Yamuna, India

The quality of Hindon River, western Uttar Pradesh, India was benchmarked with 19 sampling sites by analysing seventeen water quality parameters and eight heavy metals for pre and post-monsoon seasons to assess the existing quality of water which is a milestone for preparing roadmap for its betterment. Indices associated with water quality and heavy metals were computed to scale the accurate state of risk associated to its use for drinking and irrigation. During the pre and post-monsoon seasons, only four and five sites were found having safe water quality index (WQI) values respectively. The average WQI (2015–2019) for pre and post-monsoon seasons ranged between 8.69–706.47 and 7.20–341.56 respectively. During pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons w.r.t. drinking purpose, heavy metal pollution index ranged between 0.76–4470.78 and 0–1425.31 respectively; heavy metal evaluation index ranged between 0.21–163.11 and 0.00–57.70 respectively; contamination evaluation index ranged between -7.79–155.11 and –8.00 to 49.70 respectively. During pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons w.r.t. irrigation purpose, heavy metal pollution index ranged between 0.82–1492.71and 0.00–300.06 respectively; heavy metal evaluation index ranged between 0.10–20.44and 0.00–5.66 respectively; contamination evaluation index ranged between -15.97–10.03and –17.00 to –6.08 respectively. The heavy metals were positively correlated where highest value observed between Cu and Mn (correlation coefficient value 0.95). For physico-chemical parameters, observed adj-R2 value ranged from 0.50 for pH to 0.98 for total hardness and calcium. PCA analysis achieves three principle components (PCs) for physico-chemical and three PCs for heavy metals that explained 88.67% and 89.68% variability of the original data set, respectively.

Assessment of Potability of Minewater Pumped Out from Jharia Coalfield, India: An Integrated Approach Using Integrated Water Quality Index, Heavy Metal Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistics

The dense and industrialized populace in the mining areas of Jharia Coalfield (JCF) is plagued by a severe shortage of water supply. The unutilized pumped out coal minewater discharges may be utilized to cater to the increasing water demand of the region but it runs the risk of getting contaminated from domestic and industrial effluents. The current study aimed to assess the suitableness of augmenting underground minewater for potable purposes. Minewater samples collected from 15 locations (minewater treatment plants) across JCF for the hydrological year 2019-2020 were analysed to gain an insight on the physico-chemical characteristics of the minewater using an integrated approach of standard hydrochemical methods, Integrated Water Quality Index (IWQI), Heavy metal Pollution Index (HPI) and Multivariate Statistical Analysis. The integrated approach gives a holistic assessment of the minewater quality, overcoming the limitations of traditional water quality indices, to give a more accurate assessment. The analysis of minewater in the region identified Ca–Mg–HCO3 and Ca–Mg–Cl–SO4 as the two major water types. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) of the minewater revealed the influence of lithogenic and anthropogenic processes in modulating the water chemistry of the region. This study could facilitate effective water quality management practices while also laying the foundation for augmenting minewater for potable purposes to meet increasing demands.

WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS OF CODE RIVER BASED ON METAL AND NONMETAL PARAMETERS USING HEAVY METAL POLLUTION INDEX

Code is one of the rivers influenced by a large number of waste-generating human activities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Despite continued discharges of pollution loads from anthropogenic waste, the heavy metal pollution index (HPI)—a water quality index assessing heavy metal ions present in a body of water—remains nationally underutilized. The research was intended to 1) analyze the river water quality based on metal and nonmetal parameters typical of domestic waste, 2) calculate HPI using either and both parameters, and 3) evaluate the resultant water quality status. The water quality data were the products of temporal river monitoring conducted by the Forestry and Environmental Office for Yogyakarta. The heavy metal parameters included Fe, Cu, Cd, Cr, and Pb, while the nonmetal parameters were BOD, COD, TSS, ammonia, oil and grease, and total coliforms. Each parameter value was compared with the water quality standard issued in Governor Regulation No. 20/2008. The results showed that the HPI composite of heavy metal parameters classified the river water quality as excellent (2.52), whereas the one representing nonmetal parameters indicated bad quality (55.04). Nevertheless, based on the HPI composed of all parameters, the quality fell into the category excellent (3.94). Consequently, when all metal and nonmetal parameters are combined into the HPI calculation, the river shows a better water quality status.Keywords: HPI (Heavy Metal Pollution Index) water quality, domestic waste, heavy metal, Yogyakarta