A Crisis Situation Due to Uranium and Heavy Metal Contamination of Ground Waters in Punjab State, India: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Punjab is facing a crisis situation due to high levels of uranium (U) and heavy metals in underground water table of Punjab. Uranium poisoning in Punjab first made news in March 2009, when a South African Clinical Metal Toxicologist, Carin Smit, visiting Faridkot city in Punjab found surprisingly high levels of uranium in 88% of the blood samples collected from the Baba Farid Centre for Special Children in the Malwa region of Punjab. In this preliminary report, groundwater quality data pertaining to uranium and heavy metals, such as iron, nickel, cadmium, mercury, chromium, aluminium, lead, arsenic and selenium, are reported. A bird's eye view of survey report on groundwater contamination by basic parameters, such as TDS (total dissolved salts), calcium, magnesium, sulphate, nitrate, chloride and fluoride, is also given. The final report enumerating the health hazard effects of heavy metals on population in Punjab will be presented after compiling the data analysis. Keywords: Heavy metal contamination, Uranium, Punjab Cite this Article Hardev Singh Virk. A Crisis Situation Due to Uranium and Heavy Metal Contamination of Ground Waters in Punjab State, India: A Preliminary Report. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Toxicology. 2017; 7(2): 6–11p.