Appraisal of vulnerable zones of non-cancer-causing health risks associated with exposure of nitrate and fluoride in groundwater from a rural part of India

et al. 2021

Preprint

Evaluation of chemical quality of groundwater and associated health hazards is a prerequisite for taking remedial measures elsewhere. A rural region of South India was, thus, chosen for the present study to assess the total quality of groundwater and also to decipher the human health risk zones with respect to adults and children due to the groundwater pollution with nitrate (NO-3) and fluoride (F-) ions. Groundwater samples collected from the study region were determined for various chemical parameters. According to the total water quality index, groundwater quality is suitable for drinking purposes. However, the NO-3 (0.4 to 585.20 mg/L) and F-(0.22 to 5.41 mg/L) ions exceed the drinking water quality limits of 45 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L in 34% and 25% of the groundwater samples, respectively. Nitrate fertilizers appeared as the chief source of NO-3, and the fluoride minerals as the main source of F- in the groundwater body, which are further supported by principal component analysis. Total human health hazard index (THHHI) was observed to be higher than its tolerable limit of 1.0 in 63% and 73% of the groundwater samples in respect of NO-3 and F- of adults and children, respectively. The intensity of human health risk zones of THHHI (>1.0) was 1.37 times higher in children (5.69) than in children (4.15), which cover an area of 71.75% and 66.73%, respectively. Thus, the effective strategic measures were recommended for the protection of groundwater resources from pollution and also for improving the human health conditions.

Section: Figure 2 Should Be Placed Herementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figure 3 Should Be Placed Herementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Total Water Quality And Total Human Health Hazard Indices Approach For Health Risk Evaluation With Oral Intake Pathway of Groundwater of Nitrate And Fluoride From A Rural Region of South India

Gugulothu¹,

Subbarao

et al. 2021

Preprint

“…The higher alkalinity (pH and HCO 3  ) with Na + activates the leaching of fluoride minerals occurring in the basement rocks and thus increases the higher F  content in the groundwater system (Subba Rao et al 2016Rao et al , 2020a. Apart from this, the usage of phosphate fertilizers may also lead to an increase in the concentration of F  in the groundwater (Subba Rao et al 2021a). The spatial distribution of concentration of F  ion in the groundwater of the present study region showed that the F  level of less than 0.6 mg/L was observed mainly in the northern part and also in very limited isolated patches in the southern part, which covers an area of 20.36% of the total study region (Fig.…”

Section: Figure 2 Should Be Placed Herementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was observed that children are more vulnerable in comparison with adults in respect of NO  3 and F  ions (Zhai et al 2017;Rezael et al 2018;Karunanidhi et al 2020). In India, the potential risk of groundwater is a consequence of contamination of NO  3 and F  ions, where children are at a greater health risk than adults, leading to non-carcinogenic problems in children (Ding et al 2020;Kaur et al 2020;Subba Rao et al 2021a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Approach of Total Water Quality And Total Human Health Hazard Indices For Health Risk Evaluation With Oral Intake Pathway of Groundwater Nitrate And Fluoride From a Rural Region of South India

Gugulothu

Rao

et al. 2021

Preprint

Evaluation of the chemical quality of groundwater and associated health hazards is a prerequisite for taking remedial measures elsewhere. The rural region of South India was, thus, chosen for the present study to assess the total quality of groundwater and also to decipher the human health risk zones with respect to adults and children due to groundwater pollution with nitrate (NO-3) and fluoride (F-) ions. Groundwater samples collected from the study region were determined for various chemical parameters. According to the total water quality index, groundwater quality is suitable for drinking purposes. However, the NO-3 (0.4 to 585.20 mg/L) and F (0.22 to 5.41 mg/L) ions exceed the drinking water quality limits of 45 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L in 34% and 25% of the groundwater samples, respectively. Nitrate fertilizers appeared as the chief source of NO-3, and fluoride minerals as the main source of F- in the groundwater body, which is further supported by principal component analysis. The total human health hazard index (THHHI) was observed to be higher than its tolerable limit of 1.0 in 63% and 73% of the groundwater samples in respect of NO-3 and F- of adults and children, respectively. The intensity of human health risk zones of THHHI (>1.0) was 1.37 times higher in children (5.69) than in children (4.15), which cover an area of 71.75% and 66.73%, respectively. Thus, effective strategic measures were recommended for the protection of groundwater resources from pollution and also for improving human health conditions.

Assessment of health hazard due to fluoride in groundwater from a rural area in east‐coast of India and remedial measures

Environmental Quality Mgmt

Hota³

et al. 2023

The present research deals with the quantification of health hazard in a fluorosis prone area from east‐coast of India. The average health hazard quotients are 2.09, 2.42, 1.79, and 1.69 for infants, children, male, and female adults, respectively. These values are more than the tolerance limit (1) in 92% groundwater samples and 96% of the study area. The children are more vulnerable to fluorosis than infants and adults. Ca2+/ Na+ versus HCO3−/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ versus Mg2+/Na+ plots suggest silicate weathering as the prime factor while linear relationship of TDS versus NO3− + (Cl−/HCO3−) supports the anthropogenic input of F− to the aquifer system. The study suggests that the F− ions are chiefly derived from fluorite, apatite, biotite, and hornblende present in the granitic basement under alkaline environment. The secondary sources are domestic and industrial sewage as well as return flow from irrigation with ingredients of phosphate fertilizers. The adverse effects of fluorosis can be minimized by mass awareness programmes, alternative source of potable drinking water, defluoridation techniques, dilution of high F− concentration in groundwater, and minimizing the use of phosphate fertilizers.