Resumen de Nivel de arsénico en abastecimientos de agua de consumo de origen subterráneo en la Comunidad de Madrid
Nuria Aragonés, Margarita Palacios Diez, Antonio Avello de Miguel, María P. Gómez Rodríguez, Mercedes Martínez Cortés, María José Rodríguez Bernabeu
- español
Fundamento: En 1998 se detectaron en la Comunidad de Madrid concentraciones de arsenico mayores de 50�Êg/l en algunos abastecimientos de agua de consumo de origen subterraneo, concentracion maxima admisible en el agua de bebida en Espana. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar la concentracion de arsenico en el agua procedente de abastecimientos subterraneos en la Comunidad de Madrid.
Metodos: Se presentan los resultados de los dos primeros muestreos realizados en el plan de seguimiento de niveles de arsenico establecido. En la primera fase se analizaron muestras de agua de los 353 abastecimientos censados por la Direccion General de Salud Publica de la Comunidad de Madrid. Con estos primeros resultados se realizo una clasificacion de riesgo de los abastecimientos. En una segunda fase, seis meses despues, se repitieron los analisis en los 35 abastecimientos que se considero podian suponer un riesgo para la salud publica.
Resultados: El 74% de los abastecimientos estudiados en la primera fase presentaron una concentracion de arsenico menor de 10�Êg/l.; el 22,6% contenia niveles entre 10 y 50�Êg/l.; y en el 3,7% eran superiores a 50�Êg/l.. La mayoria de los abastecimientos con niveles de arsenico superiores a 10�Êg/l. se encuentran situados en la misma zona geografica. En el segundo muestreo (6 meses despues) se incluyeron los 35 abastecimientos clasificados de riesgo. De ellos, 26 presentaron el mismo nivel de arsenico (10-50�Êg/l.) y 9 cambiaron de categoria: 6 pasaron a tener menos de 10�Êg/l. y 3 mas de 50�Êg/l..
Conclusiones: La vigilancia periodica de la calidad del agua realizada por la Direccion General de Salud Publica ha permitido detectar la presencia de 16 abastecimientos de agua de consumo de origen subterraneo con mas de 50�Êg/l. de arsenico, nivel maximo admisible segun la legislacion vigente en nuestro pais. Se han adoptado medidas para evitar el consumo de agua en estos abastecimientos.
- English
Background: In 1998, arsenic concentrations of more than 50ìg/l. were detected in some drinking water supplies from underground sources in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, which is the maximum permissible concentration for drinking water in Spain. These two facts have meant the getting under way of a specific plan for monitoring arsenic in the drinking water in the Autonomous Community of Madrid.
Methods: The results of the first two sampling processes conducted in the arsenic level monitoring plan set out are presented.
In the initial phase, water samples from 353 water supplies comprised within the census of the Public Health Administration of the Autonomous Community of Madrid were analyzed. A water supply risk classification was made based on these initial results. In a second phase, six months later, the analyses were repeated on those 35 water supplies which were considered to possibly pose a risk to public health.
Results: Seventy-four percent (74%) of the water supplies studied in the initial phase were revealed to have an arsenic concentration of less than 10ìg/l, 22.6% containing levels of 10-50 ìg/l., and 3.7% over 50 ìg/l.. Most of the water supplies showing arsenic levels of more than 10 ìg/l. are located in the same geographical area. In the second sampling process (six months later), the 35 water supplies classified as posing a risk were included.
Twenty-six (26) of these supplies were revealed to have the same arsenic level ((10-50 ìg/l.), and nine changed category, six of which had less than 10ìg/l. and three more than 50ìg/l..
Conclusions: In the Autonomous Community of Madrid, less than 2% of the population drinks water coming from supplies which are from underground sources. The regular water quality monitoring conducted by the Public Health Administration has led to detecting the presence of more than 50ìg/l. of arsenic in sixteen drinking water supplies from underground sources, which is the maximum permissible level under the laws currently in force in Spain. Measures have been taken to prevent water from being used from these water supplies.
Around 20% of the water supplies studies must take measures in the near future to lower the arsenic concentration to below 10 ìg/l. when the water directive which is currently in the process of being written into Spanish law enters into effect.
