Scholarly record

OCCURRENCE OF ALUMINIUM IN URBAN WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE SYSTEMS

Irina Angelova

Abstract

Aluminium is not essential but could be harmful to human health, being associated with severe diseases of the nervous system, such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) and Alzheimer's disease. Dissolved aluminium can become toxic to aquatic life and to the roots of sensitive plant species. Exposure to aluminium from water is a concern in Sofia region since its concentrations occasionally exceed the environmental quality standard for Iskar river, which is the main drinking water source and is the receiver of the treated wastewater from the city. The occurrence of aluminium in urban water supply and sewerage systems could be both of natural and anthropogenic origin. Aluminium is the third most common element in the earth's crust and is found in the composition of different rocks and soils. Aluminium's physical and chemical properties make it ideal for a variety of uses in food and drugs industry, consumer products and water treatment processes. This research is focused on the identification of aluminium occurrence in each component of the urban water supply and sewerage system. Field tests were conducted in Sofia`s water supply and sewerage system, where concentrations of aluminium were evaluated in water samples taken from the drinking water source (Iskar Reservoir) inflow and outflow of water treatment plants, backwash water, specific points of the urban water supply system, inflow and outflow of the wastewater treatment plant.

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