SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF URANIUM IN GROUNDWATER AND ITS HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT IN HARYANA, INDIA

Abstract

Uranium contamination is reported in the groundwater of Haryana but the data of its occurrence is utterly scattered. In the present study, the data related to the distribution of uranium in Haryana was compiled and a contour map was generated. The map showed average uranium concentration in groundwater of Fatehabad (22.3 ppb), Jind (16.76 ppb), Rohtak (15.49 ppb), Mahendargarh (18.87 ppb), Gurgaon & Sohna (22.09 ppb), Rewari (14.4 ppb) below the prescribed limit of WHO while in Hisar (33.9 ppb), Sonipat (57.43 ppb), Panipat (49.42 ppb), Sirsa (49 ppb), Jhajjar (53.01 ppb) and Bhiwani (30.15 ppb) districts higher than the standard limit of 30 ppb of WHO, but below the standard limit of 60 ppb issued by AERB. The AED (Annual Effective Dose) in all districts was found to be less than 100 µSv/y; ECR (Excess Cancer Risk) was found to be less in all districts except Hisar, Panipat, Sonipat, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Sohna, Gurugram, Rewari, Jhajjar and Bhiwani districts, where ECR was higher than the prescribed limit of 1.67 × 10-4 as per AERB.