Abstract:
This study was conducted in Hattar Industrial Estate (HIE), Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The research was aimed at assessing the amount of heavy metals in surface and ground water of HIE and its nearby areas and to generate the vulnerability map of the study area. For this purpose research samples were collected from four water sources including tube wells, bore wells, open wells, and natural drains. Physiochemical and heavy metal concentrations were measured by standard operating procedures. Physiochemical parameters analysis showed that most of the results were in permissible limits of WHO. Except some of the locations of both surface and ground water, where there are increased levels of physiochemical parameters such as pH, TDS, K+, Ca2+ and F-. In the same water samples heavy metals concentration was evaluated. After analysis results it was noticed that some of the metals such as Zn, Cr, Pb, and Ni were having elevated concentrations. The heavy metals like Cr, Pb, Ni were found above the Standard range of WHO in the shallow water sources with less depths up to 170 ft. While the other metals Zn, Cu, Mn were found under the permissible range. Zn showed some variation in values in ground water samples. Concentration of As was found to be in standard range except one natural drain and ground water source. Water sources with high subsurface water depths were detected with lower heavy metal content. Location points with less water depths near to the HIE natural drains such as Nala near HIE and Dotal Kas were found contaminated with heavy metals and also showed high level impacts on ground water resources. The same heavy metals results were also showed through concentration and vulnerability maps of the study area. Therefore it is recommended that industrial effluents should be treated before disposing off into the surrounding environment.
