WATER QUALITY EFFECTS ON KIDNEY DISEASES IN THE SLUMS AREA OF ERBIL CITY, IRAQ

Many cities in the world are facing a quick inhabitant growth of slum areas while the detailed information about this issue is lacking. The study aim is an identification of the spatial correlation between the quality of water and kidney disease. A sample of 94 specimens was collected for different areas of the random areas to confirm the existence of cases of kidney disease in addition to a set of environmental, social and cultural characteristics related to some aspects affecting their healthy life. The chemical characteristics of drinking water in the study area were compared with the characteristics of the World Health Organization. The correlation between some chemical properties of water and especially related diseases (kidney) assessed. The research find correlation between the value of potential of Hydrogen (pH) and kidney disease spread in the study area (R2 = 0.65; P <0.01) and we found correlation between Electrical conductivity (EC) and renal disease (R2 = 0.85; P <0.01). The highest correlation was found between Magnesium Ion (Mg2+) and kidney disease (R2 = 0.94, p <0.01). We found the relationship with Nitrate () has a strong direct relationship and within a strong statistical significance (R2= 0.86, p <0.01). We also found a moderately positive and statistically significant correlation between sulfate and kidney disease prevalence (R2 = 0.57, P <0.01)