Open AccessPhysicochemical Assessment of Rain Water of Karachi, Pakistan
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of sustainable water and environmental systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1923-7545
DOI - 10.5383/swes.06.01.0005
Subject(s) - environmental science , water source , fluoride , contamination , precipitation , sulfate , total dissolved solids , environmental chemistry , health hazard , chloride , pollution , potable water , surface water , environmental engineering , chemistry , water resource management , geography , meteorology , environmental health , medicine , inorganic chemistry , ecology , organic chemistry , biology
Local Precipitation (Rain) is a good source of surface water and could be a safe source of drinking water if it is free from contaminants. Many Asian countries do not have access to safe drinking water; therefore, they have no alternative but to use water from contaminated sources that poses a health hazard. In the present study, thirty three rain water samples were collected from Karachi, Pakistan during monsoon season of year 2007. The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO) and hardness were immediately monitored after sample collections and possible sources of NH4, Na, K, Mg, Ca, F- , Cl- , NO3 - , CO3 -2 and SO4 -2 concentrations in rain water of Karachi city, Sindh, Pakistan were analyzed in order to distinguish safe source of drinking water. All samples were completely free from fluoride contamination while the concentration of chloride and sulfate was in range of 15.11-125 mg/l and 10.02- 72.02 mg/l indicate their presence from air pollution. Moreover, the study showed that the rain water can be harvested to extend potable and non-potable water supplies in this city.