Unraveling Health Risk and Speciation of Arsenic from Groundwater in Rural Areas of Punjab, Pakistan

This study determined the total and speciated arsenic (As) concentrations and other health-related water quality parameters for unraveling the health risk of As from drinking water to humans. Groundwater samples (n = 62) were collected from three previously unexplored rural areas (Chichawatni, Vehar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2015-10, Vol.12 (10), p.12371-12390
Main Authors: Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal, Niazi, Nabeel Khan, Bibi, Irshad, Rahman, Mohammad Mahmudur, Naidu, Ravi, Dong, Zhaomin, Shahid, Muhammad, Arshad, Muhammad
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Arsenic
Arsenic - analysis
Drinking water
Drinking Water - analysis
Female
Groundwater
Groundwater - analysis
Health risk assessment
Humans
Male
Pakistan
Risk Assessment
Rural areas
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Water Quality
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Summary:This study determined the total and speciated arsenic (As) concentrations and other health-related water quality parameters for unraveling the health risk of As from drinking water to humans. Groundwater samples (n = 62) were collected from three previously unexplored rural areas (Chichawatni, Vehari, Rahim Yar Khan) of Punjab in Pakistan. The mean and median As concentrations in groundwater were 37.9 and 12.7 µg·L(-1) (range = 1.5-201 µg·L(-1)). Fifty three percent groundwater samples showed higher As value than WHO safe limit of 10 µg·L(-1). Speciation of As in groundwater samples (n = 13) showed the presence of inorganic As only; arsenite (As(III)) constituted 13%-67% of total As and arsenate (As(V)) ranged from 33% to 100%. For As health risk assessment, the hazard quotient and cancer risk values were 11-18 and 46-600 times higher than the recommended values of US-EPA (i.e., 1.00 and 10(-6), respectively). In addition to As, various water quality parameters (e.g., electrical conductivity, Na, Ca, Cl(-), NO₃(-), SO₄(2-), Fe, Mn, Pb) also enhanced the health risk. The results show that consumption of As-contaminated groundwater poses an emerging health threat to the communities in the study area, and hence needs urgent remedial and management measures.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph121012371