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Groundwater nitrate and fluoride profiles, sources and health risk assessment in the coal mining areas of Salt Range, Punjab Pakistan
Authors: Masood N, Hudson-Edwards KA, Farooqi A.

 

Abstract

To assess the loading profiles of groundwater nitrate (NO3–) and fluoride (F–), their spatial distributions, geochemistry and associated health risks were determined for 131 groundwater samples from eastern (ESR), central (CSR) and Trans-Indus Salt Ranges (TSR) in Pakistan. Groundwater NO3– concentrations were 0.2–308 mg/L (mean 59 mg/L) in ESR, 2.7–203 mg/L (mean 73 mg/L) in CSR and 1.1–259 mg/L (mean 69 mg/L) in the TSR. Forty-one %, 57% and 36% of the ESR, CSR and TSR samples, respectively, exceeded the WHO and Pak-NEQs permissible limit of 50 mg/L NO3–. Likewise, groundwater F– concentrations ranged from 0.1–1.8 mg/L (mean 0.6 mg/L), 0.1–2.7 mg/L (mean 0.9 mg/L) and 0.3–2.5 mg/L (mean 1.6 mg/L) mg/L in the ESR, CSR and TSR sites, respectively. In this case, 3%, 17% and 27% of the ESR, CSR and TSR samples, respectively, exceeded the WHO and Pak-NEQs permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L F. Oxidation of coal and coal waste resulted in the release of NO3– to groundwater. By contrast, enrichment of F– in groundwater was due to dissolution and cation exchange processes. Elevated values of the Higher Pollution Index (PI) and Health Risk Index (HRI) reflect a non-acceptable carcinogenic risk for drinking water NO3– and F– which should be addressed on a priority basis to protect human health.

*Original abstract online at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10653-021-00987-y

Availability of data and material

Supplementary data are provided along with the manuscript.

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Acknowledgements

The results reported in this manuscript form part of the lead author’s Ph.D. research. We would like to thank the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan for funding research under its International Research Support Initiative Program (IRSIP) program, Department of Environmental Science, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, especially Environmental Hydro Geochemistry Lab and the Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, for their technical and experimental support.

Funding

The research visit of Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter (UK) was funded by Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan under its International Research Support Initiative Program (IRSIP) program.

Author information

Affiliations

Environmental Geochemistry Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, PO, Pakistan

Noshin Masood & Abida Farooqi

Environment & Sustainability Institute and Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK

Karen A. Hudson-Edwards

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abida Farooqi.

 

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