ECOPERSIA

ECOPERSIA

The Health Risks of High Salinity and Certain Heavy Metals in the Drinking Water Supply of the Shatt Al-Arab and Their Link to Kidney Diseases in Basrah, Iraq

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Dhurgham Qasim 1
Azhar Noori Fadam 2
1 Department of Community Health Technologies, Technical Medical Institute, Southern Technical University, Basrah, Iraq
2 Department of Nursing Technology, Technical Medical Institute, Southern Technical University, Basrah, Iraq
10.48311/ecopersia.2026.120498.82905
Abstract
Aims: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible association between drinking water salinity, heavy metal contamination and kidney related health disorders among residents of Basrah Governorate, southern Iraq.
Materials & Methods: The electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were determined in 24 water samples collected from four sites in Basrah Governorate during the summer and winter seasons. Besides, 10 blood samples were analysed from patients with renal failure to evaluate the renal function biomarker and electrolyte balance. Also, 58 respondents filled out a structured questionnaire on sources of drinking water as well as kidney-related health conditions.
Findings: Electrical conductivity ranged from 40 to 76,500 µS.cm-1, salinity from 0.044 to 53,550, lead concentrations were from 0.071 to 1.153 mg.L-1 and Cadmium concentrations were from not detected (ND) to 0.437 mg.L-1, with some measurements above international guideline values. The serum creatinine values of the patients studied ranged from 2.6 to 19.0 mg.dL-1 and the blood urea values from 30 to 150 mg.dL-1. Results of the questionnaire showed that tanker water was the major source of drinking water (63.8%) and most of the respondents reported kidney related health problems for which they sought medical treatment.
Conclusion: The results suggest a possible correlation between deteriorating drinking water quality especially salinity and heavy metal contamination and renal health problems in Basrah Governorate. However, ...
Keywords
Basrah
Cadmium
Drinking Water
Lead
Renal Dysfunction
Salinity
Subjects
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