Water quality parameters in relation to chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In Sri Lanka, high concentrations of certain water quality parameters in drinking water are assumed to be causing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). North Central Province (NCP) in Sri Lanka reports the highest number of CKD patients and mortality rates. The reported research herein concentrates on re-examining diverse causative factors identified by previous researchers on CKD and analysis of water quality in samples from shallow wells supplying drinking water to CKD patients and non-patients in NCP. The samples were tested for a number of parameters such as anions, cations, and heavy metals. These include Cd, Na, Ca, F and Cl which previous researchers have suggested as causative factors for CKD. The preliminary analyses of data indicated majority of water quality parameters collected from the study area did not exceed the WHO drinking water quality standards. The critical water quality parameters that could cause the CKD were investigated using Factor Analysis techniques. From the water samples collected from the CKD Patients the parameters of Na, Cl, Mg, F and Ca could be grouped into one Factor and identified as hydro-geologically originating. Another Factor which could be due to nutrients from fertilizer was identified consisting of N and P whereas Cd was grouped into a single Factor. In contrast, the water quality parameters in water samples collected from CKD Non-Patients were different and could not be clearly grouped into any special category.