ABSTRACT
In Arica and Parinacota, within the arid northern Chile, water quality of the scarce water sources is commonly affected by elevated arsenic (As) above 10 μg/L (WHO guideline). Other potentially harmful elements are also a concern. Unsafe waters, notably from cold springs, are still used for drinking by part of the rural population. An inorganic water quality survey was made to study the hydrochemistry of waters in different basins within the region, quantifying the levels of As, and studying its co-occurrence with other elements. From the 89 samples collected, 72% had elevated arsenic. From those 32 samples were indicated as drinking sources (max 223 μg/L). The highest As corresponds to thermal springs (21,300 μg/L), which contribute with As in the upper section of the basins. In addition, B, Se, Pb, Cd, and Cr were found above WHO guidelines, and were highly correlated with As.
