Evaluation of Physicochemical Parameters of Drinking Water and Investigating the Performance of Several Purification Methods on Water Quality of Some Universities in Iran, 2022

Background: Water quality is the most important factor for consumers. Therefore, monitoring and controlling water quality is of particular significance in different human communities such as universities. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of drinking water in some universities in Iran. Methods: In this study, the physicochemical parameters and heavy metals including lead, cadmium, nickel, arsenic, and chromium in drinking water were determined in nine Iranian universities. Then, the efficacy of several treatment methods was evaluated in the removal of heavy metals, including boiling process in two stages, 5 min boiling, 5 h boiling, and filtration process. Results: Physicochemical properties of drinking water in all samples were appropriate. Hardness levels were higher than the World Health Organization standards. However, this parameter was lower than the national standard of Iran (500 mg/l caco3). Nevertheless, cadmium content was not detected in any samples, and nickel and chromium content was below the permissible limit.  Lead content was equal to the limit in three samples, and arsenic content was equal to the limit in four samples. Water purification methods including boiling and water purifier were satisfactory and significantly reduced pollutants. Conclusion: It is suggested to check drinking water quality in universities randomly.