Effects of Abandoned Arsenic Mine on Water Resources Pollution in North West of Iran.docVIP

Health Promotion Perspectives, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2011; P: 62-70 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Open Access Effects of Abandoned Arsenic Mine on Water Resources Pollution in North West of Iran 1 2 3 1 Behzad Hajalilou , *Mohammad Mosaferi , Fazel Khaleghi , Sakineh Jadidi , Bahram Vosugh , Esmail Fatehifar4 1 1 Department of Geology, Payame Noor University of Iran, Tabriz, Iran 2 National Public Health Management Center (NPMC), Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Department of Geology, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran 3 4 Environmental Engineering Research Center (EERC), Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran (Received: 10 March 2011/ Accepted: 07 July 2011) ABSTRACT Background: Pollution due to mining activities could have an important role in health and welfare of people who are living in mining area. When mining operation finishes, environ- ment of mining area can be influenced by related pollution e.g. heavy metals emission to wa- ter resources. The present study was aimed to evaluate Valiloo abandoned arsenic mine ef- fects on drinking water resources quality and possible health effects on the residents of min- ing area in the North West of Iran. Methods: Water samples and some limited composite wheat samples in downstream of min- ing area were collected. Water samples were analyzed for chemical parameters according to standard methods. For determination of arsenic in water samples, Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Method (GFAAS) and for wheat samples X – Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Method (ICP) were used. Information about possible health effects due to exposure to arsenic was collected through interviews in studied villages and health center of Herris City. Results: The highest concentrations of arsenic were measured near the mine (as high as 2000 μg/L in Valiloo mine opening water). With in