Assessing the Quality of the Groundwater and the Nitrate Exposure, North Salah Al-Din Governorate, Iraq

Groundwater quality is a topic that concerns millions of people because it is essential for agriculture and drinking. As a result, this paper aims to assess the groundwater quality of the northern region of Salah al-Din Governorate (Bayji as a case study) and the health risks posed by nitrate ions to infants, children, and adults living in villages. Samples were taken from 30 wells in the industrial district of the Baiji area in April 2022. Two water quality indices were applied to determine whether groundwater can be used for drinking and irrigation or not. The drinking water quality index (DWQI) found that 96.67% of the water samples were poor, and 3.33% were abysmal. Based on the values of the irrigation water quality index (IWQI), the tested water quality ranged from medium to high. In addition, the study required assessing the health risks posed by nitrate ions in the groundwater to residents. According to the oral hazard quotient (HQoral) calculation results, 93.33 and 96.67 % of the water samples were below one, indicating no health risks for children or infants. However, 6.67 and 3.33% of the total samples were above one, indicating health risks. All HQoral values were less than one when it came to the health effects of nitrates on adults, indicating that there were no risks. Because the Hazard Quotient (HQdermal) through the dermal pathway was less than one, showering posed no health risks for adults, children, or infants.