Water Quality in Surface Water: A Preliminary Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of the Mashavera River, Georgia

Abstract

Water quality contamination by heavy metal pollution has severe effects on public health. In the Mashavera River Basin, an important agricultural area for the national food system in Georgia (e.g., vegetable, dairy and wine production), water contamination has multiple influences on the regional and country-wide health. With new industrial activities in the region, sediment extraction, and discharge of untreated wastewater into the river, its tributaries and irrigation canals, a comprehensive study of water quality was greatly needed. This study examined sediment and water samples from 17 sampling sites in the Mashavera River Basin during the high and low precipitation seasons. The results were characterized utilizing the Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Pollution Load index (PLI), Contamination Factor (CF) and Metal Index (MI). According to the CFs, Cu > Cd > Zn > Pb > Fe > Mn > Ni > Cr > Hg is the descending order for the content of all observed heavy metals in sediments collected in both seasons. Fe and As were additionally examined in water samples. Overall, As, Cd and Pb, all highly toxic elements, were found in high concentrations in downstream sample sites. According to these results, comprehensive monitoring with narrow intervals between sampling dates, more sample sites along all waterways, and proximate observation of multiple trace metal elements are highly recommended. Moreover, as the part of the water quality governance system, an immediate and sustainable collective action by all stakeholders to control the pollution level is highly recommended, as this issue is linked to the security of the national food system and poses a local public health risk.

Use of Heavy Metal Content and Modified Water Quality Index to Assess Groundwater Quality in a Semiarid Area

“…However, the values of these four indices in most parts of the area were below the critical levels. Wells 8,11,and 19, are classified as unsuitable for drinking purposes due to an excessive amount of Cd. Additionally, well 7 was polluted by Se, while concentration of Sb in wells 3, 4, 16, and 18 showed higher than the permissible limits.…”

“…Many methods such as multivariate statistical techniques (e.g., cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and factor analysis) [13,14], hydro-geochemical evaluation [15,16], heavy metal indices (e.g., heavy metal pollution index, degree of contamination, heavy metal evaluation index, contamination factor, and health risk assessment) [17][18][19], and water evaluation indices [13] have been developed for assessing water quality considering physicochemical parameters. Grading water quality indicators largely depends on indicator concentration and the rate of relative toxicity.…”

Occurrence and Health-Risk Assessment of Trace Metals in Raw and Boiled Drinking Water from Rural Areas of China

“…Trace metals in waters may originate from both natural and anthropogenic processes, such as mineral weathering, industrial activities, municipal wastewater discharge, unsustainable agricultural practices, and traffic activities [15,16]. Landfill impact on water contamination is considered to be one of the most pronounced issues threatening water quality [17,18] Due to the contamination of arsenic (As), drinking water from more than 70 countries is not safe for consumption for approximately 150 million people [19].…”

An Appraisal of Potential for Sowing of Nasturtium officinale into Streams to Mitigate Nutrient Pollution in Eastern Scotland

“…Farmers' perceptions of the importance of stewardship of water quality are increasing globally [32][33][34]. This is important for the achievement of both local enhancement of water quality (farm scale) and for downstream water users, and was an important driver of the research described here.…”