Health Risk Assessment in Southern Carpathians Small Rural Communities Using Karst Springs as a Drinking Water Source

Ana Moldovan, Anamaria Iulia Török, Ionuț Cornel Mirea, Valer Micle, Oana Teodora Moldovan and Erika Andrea Levei
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Ana Moldovan: INCDO-INOE 2000, Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Anamaria Iulia Török: INCDO-INOE 2000, Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ionuț Cornel Mirea: Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, 050711 Bucharest, Romania
Valer Micle: Faculty of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Technical University, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Oana Teodora Moldovan: Cluj-Napoca Department, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Erika Andrea Levei: INCDO-INOE 2000, Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: The chemical quality of waters from eight karst springs from the Southern Carpathians and the health risk of small rural communities using these springs as a drinking water source were assessed. The results indicated that the spring waters in the studied area are chemically suitable to be used as drinking water and pose no health risks for adults and children. The spring water can be generally described as having circumneutral pH, Ca-Mg-HCO 3 − facies, excellent to good palatability, and low trace metal and nitrate content. The variation of chemical parameters between spring and autumn was low. These springs could become appropriate drinking water sources for the neighboring rural communities after the assessment of their microbiological status and, if it is the case, proper water treatment. Moreover, periodic monitoring of the water’s chemical parameters, mostly nitrates, as well as the establishment of a protected area near the springs to prevent the negative impact of anthropogenic sources on water quality is recommended.

Keywords: water quality; health risk assessment; drinking water; karst spring; rural communities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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