Concentration of heavy metals in drinking water and health risk from semi-urban area / Noorfazira Mohamed @ Busu

Heavy metals exposure was dangerous to human health and ecosystem. Reducing
an exposure to the heavy metal especially through drinking water related with
management of drinking water in communities is important. The objectives of this
study were to determine the concentration of selected heavy metal (Cr, Cd, Zn and
Pb) in drinking water and to estimate the health risk using health risk assessment
(HRA). This study also carried out to identify the level of knowledge, attitude and
practice (KAP) regarding heavy metal contamination in drinking water. The
concentration of selected heavy metals was analysed by using Inductively Coupled
Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and the information of KAP
level was measured using a set of questionnaires. There was a potential noncarcinogenic
health risks could be occurred from the Cd, Cr and Pb exposure via
dermal contact (HQ>1). The carcinogenic health risk showed there was the greater
probability of cancer to develop within population in study area of Cr compared to
Pb. The population has good knowledge (58.44%) in term of water supply, quite
low positive attitude (43.33%) on believing the dangerous of heavy metals
contamination in drinking water and better practice (67.50%) in terms of drinking
water management. Identifying the quality of drinking water through HRA and
KAP could give more knowledge for the communities to improve the management
of drinking water quality in the future. Therefore, it is strongly recommended the
responsible authorities to take some corrective measures in order to decrease the
level of heavy metals contamination in drinking water.