Investigations of potential source mobilization and health risk assessment of elevated groundwater uranium in the central part of Malwa region Punjab India

Abstract

In India, more than 16 states are detected with uranium in its groundwater.All the states except north-west India have hard rocks which are naturally considered to be a source of uranium and has received worldwide attention. Higher uranium levels in the groundwater of south-west Punjab is a matter newlineof great concern due to rise of contaminant levels at alarming rate, its spatial and vertical variability and poor understanding of uranium mobility with depth. A lot of research work exists on the groundwater, however, sediment studies are missing in the region. Detailed work has not been carried even on groundwater in the current research district showing highest groundwater depletion. Thus, in the current study, detailed groundwater and sediment studies has been carried out to fill the missing gap. Groundwater samples have been collected covering both the shallow and deeper aquifers in the newlineregion. Study confirms the higher uranium levels in the aquifer system and comparatively higher concentration in shallow groundwater. Various physic-chemical and trace elements are found to be associated with uranium and thus controls its behavior in groundwater. Sediment samples of newlineagricultural, undisturbed and industrial areas show that uranium concentration in the sediments is higher than global average and thus indicates that soil of the region act as source of uranium in the aquifer newlinesystem of the region. Hypothesis has been proposed for the transport of uranium from north Siwaliks to the alluvial sediments with anthropogenic activities triggering its mobilization with changing redox conditions. Human health risk assessment is calculated using various indices of radiological and newlinechemical toxicity. Uranium levels are also measured in the food chain to know direct effect on human health. Findings of the current study are going to be useful in understanding the source for future exploration, behavior of uranium with changing groundwater conditions, for planning remediation newlineand better policy management to reduce the health risk. newline