Groundwater contamination with heavy metals: A case study in Hebron, Palestine

Groundwater in Hebron's Wadi Al-Samen exhibits significant heavy metal contamination, with 17 samples exceeding selenium limits during the dry season and 15 in the wet season. Four samples surpassed barium and lithium permissible levels year-round, while three exceeded zinc limits. The study, analyzing 20 wells for 16 trace elements using atomic absorption spectrometry, found spatial variations in heavy metal pollution index (HPI) values—17.2 in the dry season and 11.99 in the wet season—both below the critical threshold of 100 but indicating poor to very poor water quality. Mean metal index (MI) values suggested moderate contamination. The research underscores urgent mitigation needs to address health risks for local residents, highlighting critical deviations from World Health Organization standards.

Al-Tamimi, W., Hamzaoui-Azaza, F., Ghanem, M., & Bouhlila, R. (2025). Groundwater contamination with heavy metals: A case study in Hebron, Palestine. Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, 22(2), 51. https://doi.org/10.36922/ajwep025040020