Validation of Two Portable Instruments to Measure Iron Concentration in Groundwater in Rural Bangladesh

Authors

  • Rebecca D Merrill Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
  • Abu Ahmed Shamim JiVitA Project, House 63, Road 3, Karanipara, Rangpur
  • Alain B Labrique Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
  • Hasmot Ali JiVitA Project, House 63, Road 3, Karanipara, Rangpur
  • Kerry Schulze Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
  • Mahbubur Rashid JiVitA Project, House 63, Road 3, Karanipara, Rangpur
  • Parul Christian Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
  • Keith P West Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3329/jhpn.v27i3.3384

Keywords:

Groundwater, HACH, Iron, Test-kits, Tubewell, Water analysis, Bangladesh

Abstract

Iron is ubiquitous in natural water sources used around the world for drinking and cooking. The health impact of chronic exposure to iron through water, which in groundwater sources can reach well above the World Health Organization's defined aesthetic limit of 0.3 mg/L, is not currently understood. To quantify the impact of consumption of iron in groundwater on nutritional status, it is important to accurately assess naturally-occurring exposure levels among populations. In this study, the validity of iron quantification in water was evaluated using two portable instruments: the HACH DR/890 portable colorimeter (colorimeter) and HACH Iron test-kit, Model IR-18B (test-kit), by comparing field-based iron estimates for 25 tubewells located in northwestern Bangladesh with gold standard atomic absorption spectrophotometry analysis. Results of the study suggest that the HACH test-kit delivers more accurate point-of-use results across a wide range of iron concentrations under challenging field conditions.

Key words: Groundwater; HACH; Iron; Test-kits; Tubewell; Water analysis; Bangladesh

doi: 10.3329/jhpn.v27i3.3384

J Health Popul Nutr 2009 Jun;27(3):414-418

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Author Biography

Alain B Labrique, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

Dr. Alain B. Labrique
Program in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control
Department of International Health
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
615 North Wolfe Street, W5543
Baltimore, MD 21205
USA
Email: alabriqu@jhsph.edu
Cover JHPN Vol.27(3)

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How to Cite

Merrill, R. D., Shamim, A. A., Labrique, A. B., Ali, H., Schulze, K., Rashid, M., Christian, P., & West, K. P. (2009). Validation of Two Portable Instruments to Measure Iron Concentration in Groundwater in Rural Bangladesh. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 27(3), 414–418. https://doi.org/10.3329/jhpn.v27i3.3384

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 3 (2009)

Section

Short Report