Abstract
Groundwater contamination with potentially toxic elements presents a severe threat to human life because of their toxicity, bio-accumulative nature, and persistence in the environment. This study was conducted at the Institute of Soil Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, to examine the severity of pollution from potentially toxic elements in groundwater (Cd, Cr, and As) and associated health hazards. Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessments were used to determine the health risk. A total of 355 groundwater samples were collected from five residential colonies of Faisalabad. The results perceived that around 18 to 57%, 28 to 51%, and 78 to 100% of groundwater samples have Cd, Cr, and As contents more than the permissible limits. Moreover, the non-cancer quotient of potentially toxic elements ranged from 0.32 to 8.45 and 0.24 to 7.05 for children and adults, respectively. Together, it was perceived that the non-cancer quotient of potentially toxic elements in almost all samples was above the permissible limit (> 1.0), while the cancer quotient in all samples was lower than the safe limits (< 1.0). Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between Cd and Cr (p < 0.05, p < 0.01), while a negative correlation was observed for other parameters like pH and potentially toxic elements. Based on the results, it was concluded that long-term use of groundwater for drinking might lead to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health issues in the studied population. More research is needed to investigate potential strategies to control and prevent groundwater pollution. Sustainable management and optimal groundwater consumption are also required to protect it for future generations.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the Institute of Soil Chemistry and Environment Sciences at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute in Faisalabad for assisting us with this research.
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We gratefully acknowledge the Agriculture Department of the Government of Punjab, Pakistan, for its financial support in completing this work. This funding agency had no involvement in the experiment or the production of the publication.
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Muhmood, A., Majeed, A., Niaz, A. et al. A quantitative assessment of pollution from potentially toxic elements in groundwater and the accompanying health risks. Arab J Geosci 15, 1783 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-11069-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-11069-3