Quantitative assessment of exposure of heavy metals in groundwater and soil on human health in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir

AbstractThe assessment of heavy metal contents in environmental sectors is important to estimate the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic doses and risks for the mankind associated with it. The present work deals with the assessment of the risk exposure related to heavy metal contents in groundwater and soil samples to two different age groups via three different transits, i.e., ingestion, inhalation and dermal. The concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb and Cr) were measured in the villages of lower Himalayas of Reasi district by using microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer. The calculated mean contamination factors of heavy metals in soil samples were as: Zn, 0.73; Cu, 0.70; Pb, 0.74; and Cr, 0.33; which led to pollution load index less than unity. The overall carcinogenic risks have been varied from 6.4E −08 to 5.1E−07 in soil samples and from 7.3E−06 to 1.1E−04 in ground water samples and were found to be well within the range prescribed by USEPA (Screening level ecological risk assessment protocol for hazardous waste combustion facilities, appendix E: toxicity reference values, US Environm ental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.,1999). The mean values of heavy metal contents except lead and chromium in water samples were found to be less than the values prescribed by various agencies. Geo-accumulation Index showed that Pb contribute to the highest contamination (0  <  Igeo <  1) among the other heavy metals. Cluster analysis and princi...
Source: Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research