THE QUALITY OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN TERMS OF THE CONTENT OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS AND TOTAL MINERALIZATION

Abstract

We have been assessing the volume of Pb, Cd and Cr in samples taken from groundwater sources Svorad spring, Å indolka spring and Buganka spring in the city of Nitra for 8 months, from April to December 2013. These water sources are used for human consumption. We also watched the total mineralization. We determined the contents of the selected heavy metals by the ASS method and conductivity.
Throughout the period, the average mineralizations were: the Svorad spring 597.7 μS, the Šindolka spring 855.1 μS and the spring Buganka 1315.1 μS. The average Pb content in the samples from the Svorad spring was 0.016 mg.dm-3, the Šindolka spring 0.022 mg.dm-3 and the spring Buganka 0.025 mg.dm-3. The concentration of Cd was found on average in the Svorad spring: 0.003 mg.dm-3, the Šindolka spring: 0.003 mg.dm-3 and the Buganka spring: 0.004 mg.dm-3. The average concentration of chromium in water was in the source of the Svorad spring 0.002 mg.dm-3, the Šindolka spring was 0.001 mg.dm-3 and the Buganka spring was 0.003 mg.dm-3. Based on the high measured values of monitored parameters - especially Pb in the Svorad spring, Cr and Pb in the Šindolka spring and Pb and Cd in the Buganka spring - we do not recommend to use the water for human consumption. The total mineralization was also above the limit.