Comparison of total hardness, calcium and magnesium concentrations in drinking water (RO), and municipal water with WHO and local authorities at Basrah province, Iraq.

Abstract

Different drinking water including RO (reversed osmosis water) and municipal water where collected from ten principal locations at Basrah city through January, May and December 2012, using three samples a month, to obtain the concentrations of total hardness, calcium and magnesium ions, for comparison with Iraqi and WHO guidelines for drinking water. Results showed a decrease of total hardness, calcium and magnesium ions in RO water in comparison with permitted levels according to Iraqi and WHO guidelines. The average concentrations of total hardness, calcium and magnesium for RO water were 19.5-60 ppm, 5.9-11.8 ppm and 4.4-13.9 ppm respectively. The municipal water gave high or acceptable levels of hardness, calcium and magnesium ions in all study locations except Al Zubair region which recorded low concentration of magnesium ions at municipal water compared to Iraqi and WHO guidelines. According to the obtained results at the present study, RO water used for drinking in Basrah city is not found suitable for health, due to the deficiency of calcium and magnesium ions, such ions are demanded for human health.