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Comprehensive evaluation of chemical properties and toxic metals in the surface water of Louhajang River, Bangladesh

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Abstract

Louhajang River, Bangladesh, which crosses Tangail as a densely industrialized and urbanized city, supplies water for different purposes. This study reports the levels of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and some toxic heavy metals in 40 water samples collected during the summer and winter seasons from Louhajang River. The winter season reported higher levels of the examined parameters than the summer season with significant variation (p < 0.05) for all parameters, with the exception of Cd. The metal contents were assessed against local and international standards for drinking, irrigation, and aquatic life purposes where different trends were observed. The heavy metal evaluation index and the ecological risk index reported low to moderate risks. The spatial distribution of metal contents assigned hot spots in some sites along the riverbed. The health risk assessment for three population categories, i.e., adult male, adult female, and children, was examined. Cr and Cd recorded hazard index > 1 in all cases, indicating possible non-cancer risk. The total carcinogenic risk values during both seasons were > 1.0 × 10−6, indicating possible cancer risk. The adopted collection of different approaches (comparison against standard levels of toxicants, statistical analysis, spatial distribution, and health risk assessment) successfully demonstrates a whole picture of the environmental status of Louhajang River, Bangladesh.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their appreciation to the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China and the Research and Training Center (RTC), Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), Dumki, Patuakhali-8602, Bangladesh. The authors would like to thank all collaborates for their help and kind collaboration from beginning to finishing this research.

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Funding

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through Group Research Project under grant number R.G.P2/114/41.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China

    Ram Proshad & Dan Zhang

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Ram Proshad & Sujan Khadka

  3. Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia

    Abubakr Mustafa Idris

  4. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 9004, Saudi Arabia

    Abubakr Mustafa Idris

  5. Department of Soil Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki 8602, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

    Md. Saiful Islam

  6. Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Md. Saiful Islam

  7. Department of Emergency Management, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki 8602, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

    Tapos Kormoker

  8. School of Political Science and Public Administration, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, 641100, China

    Md Nazirul Islam Sarker

  9. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

    Sujan Khadka

  10. Department of Post-Harvest Technology and Marketing, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki 8602, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

    Abu Sayeed

  11. Department of Environmental Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki 8602, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

    Maksudul Islam

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  1. Ram Proshad
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  2. Dan Zhang
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  3. Abubakr Mustafa Idris
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  4. Md. Saiful Islam
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  5. Tapos Kormoker
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  6. Md Nazirul Islam Sarker
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  7. Sujan Khadka
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  8. Abu Sayeed
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  9. Maksudul Islam
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Contributions

Ram Proshad, Tapos Kormoker, Abu Sayed Shuvo, and Maksudul Islam collected water samples during the winter and summer seasons. Md. Saiful Islam and Dan Zhang designed the total experiment. Abubakr Mustafa Idris and Md. Saiful Islam analyzed the data. Ram Proshad, Tapos Kormoker, and Md. Saiful Islam wrote the whole manuscript, whereas Dan Zhang, Md Nazirul Islam Sarker, and Sujan Khadka revised and improved the whole manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved this manuscript.

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Correspondence to Dan Zhang.

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Proshad, R., Zhang, D., Idris, A.M. et al. Comprehensive evaluation of chemical properties and toxic metals in the surface water of Louhajang River, Bangladesh. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 49191–49205 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14160-6

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