Table 11.1 Heavy metal(loid) concentration in water systems and sources at different parts of the
globe
S. no. Location
Water system Source(s)
Concentrations
(μg/L)
Reference
(s)
1
Cairo and Giza,
Egypt
Harvested
rainwater
Air pollution
caused by industrial activities
Al: 3.95–4.95
Cr: 0.23–0.96
Mn: 0.16–0.27
Ni: 0.60–0.63
Cu: 0.74–3.52
Zn: 15.1–39.2
As: 0.23–0.71
Cd: 0.05–0.06
Hg: 0.02–0.15
Pb: 0.03–0.04
Saleh et al.
(2001)
2
Northern Greece Surface
water/drinking water
Heavy metal
activities
Soil leaching
Industrial effluents
Domestic wastewaters
Agricultural runoff
Animal
husbandry
Cu: 2.0–7.0
Cr: 1.0–18.0
Ni: 2.0–12.0
Mn: 45.0–
291.0
Fe: 113.0–
833.0
Pb: 1.0–16.0
Zn: 20.0–157.0
Cd: 0.1–0.6
Ag: 1.0–3.0
Simeonov
et al. (2003)
3
Southern Vietnam and neighboring
Cambodia
Groundwater/
drinking
water
Geogenic activities and caused by
natural anoxic
conditions in the
aquifers
Cd: BDL–5.0
Co: BDL–44.0
Cr: BDL–10.0
Cu: 0.1–480.0
Ni: 0.1–53.0
Se: BDL–64.0
Fe: BDL–56.0
Mn: BDL–34.0
Buschmann
et al. (2008)
4
Adyar River,
South India
Domestic and
industrial sewage
Surface water
Urban runoff
Atmospheric
depositions
Weathering of
rocks
Cu: 11.0–98.0
Co: 2.0–74.0
Zn: 5.0-250.0
Fe: 65.0–
4618.0
Pb: 8.0–618.0
Cr: 12.0–650.0
Venugopal
et al. (2008)
5
Meghna floodplain aquifer,
southeastern
Bangladesh
Groundwater Microbial oxidation of organic
matter
Reductive dissolution of Fe and
Mn oxyhydroxide
Natural geochemical processes
Agricultural
activity
Al: BDL–104.0
As: 2.0–585.0
Ba: BDL–
354.0
B: 51.0–465.0
Co: BDL–1.0
Cr: BDL–12.0
Cu: BDL–11.0
Fe: 590.0–
13100.0
Zahid et al.
(2008)
(continued)
11 An Overview on Heavy Metal Contamination of Water System and Sustainable. . .
261