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Quantitative assessment of possible human health risk associated with consumption of arsenic contaminated groundwater and wheat grains from Ropar Wetand and its environs

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An Erratum to this article was published on 03 December 2016

Abstract

Arsenic (As) is a carcinogenic metalloid that enters food chain through food and water and poses health risk to living beings. It is important to assess the As status in the environment and risks associated with it. Hence, a risk assessment study was conducted across Ropar wetland, Punjab, India and its environs in pre-monsoon season of 2013, to estimate the risk posed to adults and children via daily consumption of As contaminated groundwater and wheat grains. Arsenic concentrations determined in groundwater, soil and wheat grain samples using atomic absorption spectrometer ranged from 2.90 to 10.56 μg L−1, 0.06 to 0.12 mg kg−1 and 0.03 to 0.21 mg kg−1, respectively. Arsenic in wheat grains showed significant negative correlation with phosphate content in soil indicating a competitive uptake of arsenate and phosphate ions by plants. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis suggested that both natural and anthropogenic factors contribute to variation in As content and other variables studied in soil and groundwater samples. Total cancer risk and hazard index were higher than the USEPA safety limits of 1.00 × 10−6 and 1, respectively, for both adults and children indicating a high risk of cancer and other health disorders. Consumption of As contaminated wheat grains was found to pose higher risk of cancer and non-cancer health disorders as compared to intake of As contaminated groundwater by both adults and children. Moreover, children were found to be more prone to cancer and other heath disorders due to As exposure via wheat grains and groundwater as compared to adults.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India through the University with Potential for Excellence (UPE) scheme (under the holistic area of environmental management). The authors also wish to thank Dr. Jatinder Kaur Katnoria (Asst. Professor, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India) for her continuous guidance and support during this study. The authors also want to extend their sincere thanks to Er. Prem Nath Sharma (S.D.O. Irrigation wing, Bhakhra Beas Management Board, Nangal, Punjab, India) for his help in survey of the study area.

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  1. Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India

    Sakshi Sharma, Jagdeep Kaur & Avinash Kaur Nagpal

  2. Department of Chemistry, Centre of Advance Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India

    Inderpreet Kaur

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  1. Sakshi Sharma
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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5716-2.

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Sharma, S., Kaur, J., Nagpal, A.K. et al. Quantitative assessment of possible human health risk associated with consumption of arsenic contaminated groundwater and wheat grains from Ropar Wetand and its environs. Environ Monit Assess 188, 506 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5507-9

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