Risk Assessment of Dissolved Trace Metals in Drinking Water of Karachi, Pakistan

Health risk caused by the exposure to trace metals in water through different exposure pathways was investigated. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used for the determination of trace metals (nickel, copper, chromium, lead, cobalt, manganese and iron) in drinking water samples. The concentration of metals was compared with the world health organization (WHO) drinking water quality guideline values. Risk of metals on human health was evaluated using Hazard Quotient (HQ). Hazard quotients of all metals through oral ingestion and dermal absorption are found in the range of 1.11 × 10−2 to 1.35 × 10−1 and 8.52 × 10−5 to 9.75 × 10−2, respectively. The results of the present study reflect the unlikely potential for adverse health effects to the inhabitants of Karachi due to the oral ingestion and dermal absorption of water containing these metals.