Integral assessment of the drinking water quality in the Omsk region

Introduction. To analyze the likelihood of occurrence of adverse effects associated with human exposure to chemicals in drinking water, it is recommended to conduct an integral assessment.

The purpose of the study was to assess the drinking water quality in rural areas of the Omsk region in accordance with modern methods.

Materials and methods. The results of social and hygienic monitoring for drinking water quality in the Omsk region over 2018–2021 were used. Statistical processing of the results was carried out, the calculation of the values of carcinogenic, non-carcinogenic risk, the risk of olfactory-reflex effects, integral indicators. The percentile method was used to classify risk levels.

Results. Typical polluting chemicals in the water sources in the Omsk region are resistant to oxidation organic substances, ammonium nitrogen, iron, aluminum, manganese, phenols, oil products. The aggregated individual carcinogenic health risk due to exposure drinking water chemical contamination in 2018–2020 amounted to 1,70 ∙ 10^–4, which is rated as alarming. The average multi-year growth rate over the three-year period was +17.1%, and in rural areas the average growth rate of carcinogenic risk is even higher (+27.7%). The greatest contribution to the value of the aggregated carcinogenic risk is made by arsenic and organochlorine compounds. Integral indicators (II) of drinking water ranged from 0.82 to 125.88. The group with a very high II includes settlements supplied from surface water sources (the Irtysh River, the Om River). Carcinogenic risk affects the resulting value of II to a greater extent than other components (risks).

Limitations. The results of monitoring of drinking water production monitoring in the Omsk region were not taken into account during integral assessment in terms of chemical safety. This is due to the difficulties of collecting information, its standardization and analysis.

Conclusion. Integral indicators were calculated, and the levels of the integral indicator of water in settlements in rural areas of the Omsk region were classified. Despite the advantages of the method of the assessment of II of drinking water quality, some caution is needed when using II. The reason is possible loss of information or distortion of the dynamics of concentrations of individual substances, including the most toxic and dangerous. 

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of a biomedical ethics committee opinion or other documents.

Contribution:
Novikova Yu.A. — statistical processing of material, writing text;
Tikhonova N.A. — collection of literature data;
Myasnikov I.O. — editing;
Ovchinnikova E.L. — concept and design of the study, collection and statistical processing of material;
Kolchin A.S. — writing text;
Cherkashina M.N. — collection and processing of material;
Vinokurova I.G. — statistical processing of material.
All co-authors — approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.  

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: May 17, 2022 / Accepted: August 04, 2022 / Published: September 14, 2022