ABSTRACT
Contamination of drinking water by nitrates is an evolving public health concern since nitrate can undergo endogenous reduction to nitrite and nitrosation of nitrites can form N-nitroso compounds, which are potent carcinogens. The carcinogenic feature of N-nitroso compounds has been well established. Nitrites can lead among infants to the disease called methemoglobinemia [blue baby syndrome]. There is a strong relationship between nitrate concentration and recurrent diarrhoea and also other illnesses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of nitrate and nitrite contents in some drinking water samples. In this study we analysed 162 water samples received at Water Quality Control Laboratory, AFPGMI, Rawalpindi for their nitrate and nitrite contents. Out of these 162 water samples, 153 [94%] and 133 [82%] samples had nitrate and nitrite contents in varying concentrations, while 64 [40%] and 22 [14%] had nitrate and nitrite concentrations more than Pakistani standards. Given the potential health risk associated with the presence of toxicants like nitrates and nitrites in water sources used for drinking yet the scarcity of available data, there is a need to evaluate these waters and develop strategies to reduce and prevent their contamination