Ecological Quality of Natural Waters from of Kharkiv Urban Springs

Abstract

Purpose. Estimation of ecological safety of spring waters of the city of Kharkiv. Methods. Field research, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, analytical methods for studying water quality indicators. Results. Natural water samples were analyzed on the following parameters: pH, electrical potential, nitrate content, chlorides, ammonia, transparency, turbidity, and water hardness. The highest values of the content of nitrates, nitrites, as well as the level of alkalinity and rigidity were found in a sample from the Kholodnogorsk spring. In the water from the Zhukovsky spring the high content of chlorides is found, which is one and a half times higher than the concentration in water from other city springs. In the water from the Glyboky Yar spring the lowest mineralization of water was detected, and in the water from the Sarzhin Yar spring  - the highest of the studied samples of water from the natural springs of Kharkiv. However, all identified pollutant concentrations except for the rigidity index is not dangerous for a person, because they are not exceeded by the MAC. The results of research on water samples from the Sarzhin Yar spring and from the spring in Yunost park (Kholodnogorsk source) in 2019, compared to the results of a similar study conducted in 2015. It was determined that in the water from the  Sarzhin Yar spring the rigidity index increased 3.4 times, and in the sample from the spring in Yunost park (Kholodnogorsk spring) almost 6 times. Conclusions. It is determined that in the territory of the city of Kharkiv, water from the Zhukovskii spring in the Kyivskiy district is fully suitable for consumption, because its chemical composition is fully in line with the sanitary norms that apply to drinking spring waters. The value of the level of hardness of water in all samples, except Zhukovsky spring, indicate that the normative value exceeds 2-3 times. The rigidity of drinking water that exceeds the MAC may adversely affect human health. Therefore, the only ecologically safe, among the investigated, can be considered water from the Zhukovsky spring (Kievskiy district in Kharkiv). For other sources,  it is recommended to modernize the water collection sites for the population, reconstruct the system of water supply for the supply of water from these sources, as well as to introduce additional stages of their treatment on the way to the consumer.