Arsenic pollution and health risk assessment in the groundwater of Simav Plain, Kütahya

The aim of this study was to conducted a multidisciplinary study to understand the origin of high arsenic levels within the water resources of Simav Plain, to identify relations between drinking water quality and observed diseases in the villages, and to make risk assessment for the public health.To achieve this objective, representative samples from geothermal fluids, surface waters, and groundwater were collected as part of a field survey and were analyzed using standard techniques. Besides, individual household surveys and oral autopsies were made by interviewing villagers. In water quality monitoring, a total of 45 points (33 which of are from groundwater, nine which of are from surface waters and three which of are from geothermal waters) were sampled to determine physical parameters, major anions and cations and heavy metals and trace elements. Mean arsenic levels were found to be 162.64 ppb for groundwater and 76.56 ppb for surface waters. Cardiovascular diseases (37.7%), gastrointestinal system diseases (16.7%), diabetes mellitus (12.7%) and cancers (%2.6) were detected during health surveys. Among cancer group, uterus malign neoplasm (41.2%), colon malign neoplasm (17.8%), breast malign neoplasm (11.8%) and amiloidosis (11.8%) were mostly observed. According to results, high arsenic levels were mostly related to iron oxyhydroxides/hydroxides sorption in the groundwater samples. In surface waters, high arsenic levels were mostly related to metal oxyhydroxides/hydroxides sorption and uncontrolled discharge of geothermal fluid into surface drainage network. The health risk assessment showed that there is a high possibility for internal organ cancers and adverse health problems in the study area.