Geochemical assessment of groundwater contaminants and associated health risks in the Shivalik region of Punjab, India

Abstract

The present study investigates the groundwater suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes in the Shivalik region of Punjab, India. The results revealed that the concentration of Se, U, and F⁻ exceeded BIS acceptable drinking water standards in 18%, 9%, and 16% samples, respectively. Multivariate analyses indicate the geogenic origin for As, U, Fe, F⁻ and SO₄²⁻, and anthropogenic for NO₃⁻, Cu, and Cr. The carcinogenic risk of drinking water is in very low (10⁻⁶) to low (10⁻⁵) category, while cumulative non-carcinogenic risk (HI-1.2) is slightly higher than USEPA limits (HI-1). The groundwater quality was found suitable for irrigation purpose.

Keywords:

• Groundwater
• health risks
• heavy metals
• Shivalik region
• Punjab

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Board of Research in Nuclear Science (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy, (DAE-BRNS), Mumbai, for providing financial assistance. The authors acknowledge the Central Instrumentation Facility, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, and DST–FIST support for monitoring and analysis work. The authors express their gratitude to local people for cooperation during the time of sampling work.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Board of Research in Nuclear Science (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy under Grant “National Uranium Project” [sanction number: 36(4)/14/49/2014-BRNS/36044].