Assessment of drinking water quality of jaipur main and its suburb railway stations with special mention to fluoride

Abstract

Fluorosis is the prevalent problem of the Rajasthan state as the drinking water source at many places are ground water which are having high concentration of fluoride ion. Fluoride contamination of ground water may be correlated with the regional geological aspects. For the present study the water samples were collected and analysed for physico-chemical parameters namely pH, EC, TDS, Calcium and Magnesium Hardness, Total Alkalinity, Chlorides, Sulphates, Nitrates etc. with special reference to fluoride deliberation for drinking water of Jaipur main station (Two samples); Jagatpura; Durgapura; Sanganer; Gandhinagar; Baisgodam and Kanakpura railway stations. The source of drinking water at every station is groundwater. The analysed values were compared with the standard values of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and World Health Organisation (WHO). The analysis shows that the fluoride concentration is much higher in the drinking water samples of Sanganer; Jagatpura; Jaipur main; Baisgodam and Kanakpura railway station where as it is within permissible limits for the drinking water of Durgapura and Gandhinagar railway station. According to BIS and WHO the fluoride concentration more than 1.5 mg/l is toxic and may cause Fluorosis. Too much of fluoride concentration leads to destruction of enamel and causes fluorosis leading to decalcification, dental disorder, mineralization of tendons, digestive and nervous system. Out of eight water samples six are of higher range and two comes in the permissible limits. Hence the study suggests the defluoridation of drinking water in the study area.