Assessment of Health Risks of Nitrate and Heavy Metal-Rich Groundwater: A Case Study of Baghpat City of Western Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The study was performed to document the quality of groundwater in the agriculturally intensive Baghpat city of western Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of ten sites were selected strategically in the study area, combining agricultural fields, residential areas, commercial areas, and along the highway joining Meerut and Baghpat cities. A total of 240 groundwater samples were taken using the composite method of sampling and analysed for the selected parameters. The study revealed the values of total dissolved solids (TDS) and total hardness (TH) beyond the standard permissible limit of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The values of iron (Fe) were found above the standard permissible limit of BIS (0.3 mg/l) at all the sites except at GWS6 and 8. The values of zinc (Zn) were found within the standard permissible limit of BIS (5.0 mg/l). However, the values of the rest of the analysed heavy metals, i.e., arsenic (As), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), were found below the detectable limit (BDL). The health risk index (HRI) values were found below 1 for men, women, and children, indicating no risk to the health of human beings. Among men, women, and children, the highest risk was observed for children, followed by women and men. Based on the findings of the current study, it can be concluded that although the groundwater is safe for drinking with reference to heavy metals, the elevated values of TDS and TH necessitate proper treatment before it is used for drinking.