Human Health Risk Assessment from Groundwater Nitrate Contamination of Rajasthan State
摘要
Nitrate contamination in the groundwater system risks human health, especially where people are involved in agricultural practices and unconscious wastewater management. This causes an increase in the nitrate concentration levels beyond the permissible limit of 45 mg/L. The presence of nitrate in water becomes hazardous to the environment when it transforms into different compounds. The present study analyses 749 groundwater samples for the year 2022 to visualize the spatial distribution of concentration and hazard quotients for infants, children, and adults by focusing on oral and dermal factors. It has been observed that the central part of Rajasthan is vulnerable to risk due to nitrate contamination, according to the results obtained from the analysis, such as 39% of total samples experiencing the exceedance of the maximum permissible limit of nitrate concentration and hazard quotient. Out of the three population classes, infants and children are more vulnerable than adults, as per the results obtained from hazard quotient analysis. It is pertinent that there is a necessity for sustainable management of water and wastewater disposal practices in Rajasthan, which can protect the groundwater from further deterioration.