Health risk assessment in different age-group due to nitrate, fluoride, nitrite and geo-chemical parameters in drinking water in Ahmadpur East, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to estimate the drinking water quality and public health assessment due to nitrate, nitrite and fluoride contaminations in Ahmadpur East, Punjab, Pakistan. Thirty-six drinking water samples were collected in the study area. Concentrations of geo-chemical parameters (pH, TDS and EC), nitrate, nitrite and fluoride were examined. The mean values of concentrations of nitrate, nitrite and fluoride were found 0.4197, 0.006 and 0.67 mg/L, respectively. Mean values of potential of hydrogen (pH), total dissolved solid (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) were found 7.28, 630 ppm and 1257 μS/cm, respectively. Health risk assessment was estimated by chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ) and Total Health Index (THI) due to fluoride, nitrate and nitrite for infants, children, teenagers and adults. The CDI and HQ of fluoride estimated greater permissible limit in different age groups than nitrite and nitrate in urban region of the study area. THI in infant and children determined higher than other age groups in the urban region. The infant and children suffer higher health risk than other age groups due to fluoride, nitrate and nitrite. There is need to monitor the drinking water quality on repetitive and habitual basis. Reverse osmosis membrane filtration and adsorption technique should be adopted on domestic level to reduce the contaminations of drinking water.