Abstract
The chemical elements studied here (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, Se, Ag, Zn, Li, B) include toxic heavy metals and non-toxic elements which have occurred at high levels in El Paso, TX groundwater (Fe, Cu, Mn, As, Pb; up to 24,000, 17,000, 3200, 95, and 1000 ppb respectively). The objective of this study is to investigate the origins of these heavy metals in the groundwater. Previous works found some of these metals in the rocks of the mountains that recharge the watershed, and sufficient evidence for natural origins of arsenic in the groundwater. Statistical analyses in this report are consistent with natural origin also for the heavy metals studied but cannot dismiss human activity as a contributing factor. Interesting correlations with R-value>0.60, p-value<0.01 warrant further analysis.
