Jul 2026· The Indian journal of medical research· Vol 164, pp. 273 - 286· 0 citations· 79 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Groundwater arsenic contamination poses a major public health threat in India, while evidence on chromium ingestion risks are limited, and higher non-carcinogenic risk was reported from groundwater than surface water, especially via dermal exposure in children.
Abstract
Background and objectives India ranks third in global cancer incidence. Groundwater often carries undetectable contaminants such as arsenic, a highly toxic element, and chromium, a probable carcinogen. This systematic review aims to identify patterns of arsenic and chromium exposure in Indian population through groundwater and surface water, and the resulting health effects, including cancer and other non-communicable diseases. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for English-language studies from inception to January 8, 2025. Studies assessing health effects of arsenic or chromium in groundwater or surface were included. After screening the articles, data on key health risk indices: hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk, were extracted and categorised by standard thresholds. Heat maps and violin plots were used to represent health risk levels across studies and regions. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool was used for quality assessment. Results A total of 1259 articles were identified, with 63 included studies. All reported studies presented a low risk of bias. Arsenic ingestion indicated non-carcinogenic risks in 49% of adult and 60% of child-focused studies. Chromium ingestion risks were lower, reported in 12% and 14% of adult and children-focused studies, respectively. Carcinogenic risk was higher for both metals, particularly through ingestion. Higher non-carcinogenic risk was reported from groundwater than surface water, especially via dermal exposure in children. Affected regions were Punjab, West Bengal, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir. Interpretation and conclusions Groundwater arsenic contamination poses a major public health threat in India, while evidence on chromium ingestion risks are limited.
The need for integrated mitigation strategies that address both environmental exposure and nutritional vulnerability to reduce the health impacts of As among primary schoolchildren from As-affected and apparently control areas is highlighted.
Sharmistha Majumder, Dona Roy, Archita Dey et al.· Exposure and Health· 0 citations
Environmental uranium contamination is a growing public health concern driven by mining, nuclear operations, phosphate fertiliser use, and improper waste disposal. These activities raise uranium levels in soil and dust, increasing human exposure and health risks. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesise global data on uranium contamination in soil and dust, specifically evaluating carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks across populations. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases for studies published between 2000 and 2025. Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts, applying the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal criteria for data extraction. Meta-analyses were performed, incorporating pooled estimates where appropriate. Narrative synthesis was applied to data unsuitable for meta-analysis. Eighteen studies from 13 countries met the inclusion criteria. The pooled mean uranium concentration was 3.49 mg/kg in soil and 5.10 mg/kg in dust. Regionally, the WHO South-East Asian Region (SEARO) reported the highest mean soil concentrations (5.26 mg/kg), while the Western Pacific Region recorded the highest dust concentrations (11.69 mg/kg). Non-carcinogenic hazard quotients ranged from 3.1 × 10−13 (children and adults) to 1.47 (adults), and carcinogenic risks spanned 3.54 × 10−21 (children) to 2.17 × 10−9 (adults). Uranium contamination in soil and dust varies by region, with SEARO and the Western Pacific as high-exposure areas. Risk ratios vary, influenced partly by age. Enhancing exposure assessment methods and age-specific risk evaluations is crucial for refining risk characterisation and informing public health interventions in uranium-affected areas.
L. Kalumbi, K. Lebelo, M. Masekameni et al.· Environmental Health Insight...· 0 citations
This systematic review examined heavy metal contamination in drinking water, soil, and edible vegetables in Nigeria, along with the associated human health risks. Heavy metal pollution from mining, oil exploration, and wastewater irrigation poses serious threats to food safety and public health; however, comprehensive synthesis of contamination levels and risk assessments across the country remains limited. This systematic review, guided by PRISMA 2020, assessed contamination patterns and health risks across Nigeria. Comprehensive searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar for studies published between 1 January 2011 and 30 April 2026. From 1,248 records, 18 unique studies (derived from 21 references after duplicate removal) were included. These comprised cross-sectional surveys and contamination analyses reporting quantitative heavy metal concentrations in water, soil, and/or edible vegetables together with standard health risk indices (EDI, THQ, HI, TLCR, BAF, or TF).Findings revealed widespread exceedance of FAO/WHO permissible limits, particularly for cadmium and lead in leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, cabbage, and amaranth. Hazard indices (HI) exceeded 1 in the majority of studies, while lifetime cancer risks (TLCR) for arsenic frequently surpassed the acceptable threshold of 10⁻⁴, especially in northern mining zones (Kano, Jos, Kaduna) and the Niger Delta. Nigerian studies showed higher exceedance rates (Pb: 83%, Cd: 78%) and elevated risk levels compared with some other West African contexts. Leafy vegetables consistently demonstrated the highest bioaccumulation. Interventions and monitoring efforts remain limited, and systemic challenges such as unregulated irrigation and weak enforcement of environmental standards continue to exacerbate exposure risks, particularly for children and frequent consumers of locally grown produce. Urgent, context-specific interventions are required, including stricter regulation of irrigation water and soil quality, targeted remediation in high-risk zones, safer agricultural practices, and enhanced public awareness. These measures are essential to reduce dietary heavy metal exposure, protect public health, and support sustainable food safety in Nigeria.
M. R. Madugu, H. Suleiman, A. Akyala et al.· International Journal of Med...· 0 citations
Heavy metal contamination remains a major global environmental and public health issue because of the persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of metals including lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and chromium. This study combines bibliometric and qualitative reviews to evaluate research trends and health hazards associated with heavy metal pollution. Data retrieved from the Scopus database (2014–2025) produced 18,930 documents, refined to 7,768English-language research articles after excluding conference papers, reviews, and errata. VOSviewer, MapPlot, and OriginPro were used to analyze publication trends, research productivity, citation impact, and keyword networks.Contributions came from 174 countries, with 22 meeting the threshold of at least 50 publications and 5,000 citations. China and the United States recorded the highest outputs and citation impacts, while Nigeria contributed about 205 publications with over 5,000 citations, reflecting growing but limited African participation. Among 552 publication outlets, 12 major journals met productivity thresholds and accumulated more than 50,000 citations. Keyword analysis identified 41,618 terms, with 918 significant keywords grouped into seven thematic clusters that guided the qualitative review. The synthesis showed that heavy metals cause toxicity through oxidative stress, enzyme inhibition, mitochondrial dysfunction, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and imbalance of essential metal homeostasis,resulting in neurological, renal, hepatic, cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and carcinogenic disorders. A Nigerian case study highlighted persistent exposure risks and regulatory challenges. Overall, the study provides an integrated evidence base to support environmental monitoring, risk assessment, policy formulation, and sustainable mitigation of heavy metal pollution.
A. F. Ajeboriogbon, B. O. Adewuyi, O. O. Daramola· Communication in Physical Sc...· 0 citations
Water contamination from uncontrolled landfills is a critical environmental and public health challenge in developing regions. This study evaluates the physicochemical, bacteriological, and metallic (trace elements) pollution of surface and groundwater in the Oued Inaouen watershed near Taza, Morocco, specifically assessing the impact of landfill leachate. Eight stations (six surface and two groundwater) were monitored during three campaigns (March 2020, May 2021, and May 2022). Analysis covered nutrients, organic matter (BODs, COD), heavy metals, and microbial indicators. Water quality was quantified using WQI, CPI, HPI, and MI indices alongside carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risk assessments. Results reveal significant deterioration downstream of the landfill, with Mn, Al, Fe, and As concentrations frequently exceeding WHO guidelines. Pollution indices confirmed severe contamination at sites O2, O4, and O6. Furthermore, the Hazard Index (HI) exceeded safe thresholds, particularly for children, while carcinogenic risks for Cd, Ni, As, Cr, and Pb surpassed the 10
-4
limit. These findings highlight an urgent need for improved waste management and remediation strategies to protect local ecosystems and public health.
Amina Abouabdallah, Abdelhak Bourjila, Mohamed Ben Abbou et al.· E3S Web of Conferences· 0 citations
Introduction: The study was conducted to assess health risks posed by soil pollution to the population of Kolchugino, one of the old industrial centers of the Vladimir Region.
Objective: To assess carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks to the population of the city of Kolchugino caused by soil pollution with heavy metals and arsenic from metal works.
Materials and Methods: Health risk assessment was conducted in accordance with Russian Guidelines R 2.1.10.3968–23 based on soil concentrations of gross forms of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn measured in the city of Kolchugino in 2023. Both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks from oral, inhalation, and dermal exposures were calculated by three age groups (children under 7 years of age, children aged 7–17 years, and adults aged 18 years and over). Statistical processing and mathematical calculations were performed using Microsoft Excel.
Results: We established that values of the total carcinogenic risk were acceptable and ranged from 4.92×10–5 to 6.99×10–5. Ingestion was the priority route of exposure contributing the most to the carcinogenic risk and the total hazard index. The highest hazard indices were estimated for children under 7 years of age. Contamination of urban soils with heavy metals and arsenic posed the highest risks of disorders of the skin and of the nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrine systems in the population of Kolchugino. The limitations of the study were related to exposure estimates, reference doses, and slope factors.
Conclusion: Our findings show that carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks posed by soil contamination in the industrial city of Kolchugino are within acceptable limits. The central nervous system, especially in children, is the most vulnerable to non-carcinogenic effects of heavy metals.
A. Martsev, O. Selivanov, Yuri N. Kurbatov et al.· ЗДОРОВЬЕ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ И СРЕДА О...· 0 citations
