Hydrogeochemistry, solute source identification, and health risk assessment of groundwater of cancer-prone region in India

Abstract

Abstract The Bathinda district of Punjab, India has been reported with the highest per capita number of cancer patients. Groundwater is the major source of drinking and irrigation in the district. The hydrogeochemical analysis indicated Na-HCO3 and Na-SO4/Cl type water in the district, and rock-water interaction and irrigation return flow influenced the major cations. Only 10% of samples were in the very poor category for drinking purposes, which increased to 95% in the post-monsoon period due to elevated U, As, Ni, F and NO3 concentrations. Further, the average cumulative risk posed by the contaminants in the drinking water was >1 for almost all the samples indicating a higher risk of non-cancerous health issues. The average carcinogenic risk to males, females, and children due to ingestion of groundwater laden with As, Ni, Cr, and Pb was 1643 × 10−6, 1415 × 10−6, and 3066 × 10−6 during pre-monsoon and 2091 × 10−6, 1802 × 10−6, and 3904 × 10−6 during post-monsoon period respectively. The principal component analysis (PCA) indicated NO3 of anthropogenic origin and other contaminants of geogenic origin, and nitrate further influences the mobilization of U. Removal of U, As, Ni, F, and NO3 from the groundwater samples will help in changing the status of 100% and 85% of groundwater samples to the low-risk category for pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods respectively.