Environmental aspects of selected trace elements associated with coal and natural waters of Pench Valley coalfield of India and their impact on human health

Abstract

The Pench Valley coalfield extends over 32 km from west to east and is bounded by latitude 22°09′–22°24′N and longitude 78°38′30″–79°0′E in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh (M.P.), India. This coalfield produces about 181,000 tons per month of non-coking grade coal from 17 mines. For an environmental hazard study, composite samples of coals from Eklehra, Rawanwara Khas, and Shivpuri open cast collieries were prepared for spectrographic analysis of Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni and Pb. The concentrations of these elements range from 17–36.5 ppm, 66–105 ppm, 55–58.5 ppm, 745–935 ppm, 59–78 ppm, and 18.5–22 ppm, respectively. These elements become mobile with the exploitation of coal and on combustion contaminate farms, forests, and soils, and affect the quality of surface and ground waters, and finally, human health. The study of trace elements in natural waters suggests that concentration of the above elements are above the safety limit in a majority of samples and are hazardous to human health.