Assessment of Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Risk from Exposure to Uranium in Groundwater from Western Haryana, India

摘要

This study was carried out to assess the distribution of uranium in groundwater by using LED fluorimeter LF-2a and chemical and radiological risks associated with its consumption in Sirsa district, Haryana, India. Uranium concentration ranged between 0.93 and 290 mu g l(-1) with an average value of 49 mu g l(-1). About 44% of the groundwater samples had uranium concentration above the maximum contamination level of 30 mu g l(-1) prescribed by the World Health Organization and United States Environmental Protection Agency and 22% of the samples exceeded the permissible limit of 60 mu g l(-1) prescribed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India. The average cancer morbidity and mortality risks are determined to be 1.10 x 10(-4) and 7.17 x 10(-5) respectively, indicating the negligible carcinogenic risk. Hazard quotient for 44% samples is greater than unity which indicates health risk due to chemical toxicity of uranium in groundwater. The associated age-dependent annual effective dose is estimated by taking the prescribed water intake values of different age groups.