Human exposure to uranium through drinking water and its detrimental impact on the human body organs.

Abstract

Human exposure to high concentrations of uranium is a major concern due to the risk of developing numerous internal organ malignancies over time. In addition to the numerous attributes of uranium in the nuclear power industry, the radiological characteristics and chemical toxicity of uranium present a substantial risk to human health. This study aims to evaluate potential negative health impacts associated with the ingestion of uranium through drinking water in the Noida and Greater Noida region within the Gautam Buddha districts of Uttar Pradesh (India), due to extreme industrial revolution in this geological location. The mean concentration of uranium in drinking water of the examined area was estimated to range from 0.23 to 78.21µgl-1. The hair compartment biokinetic model is used to estimate the retention and radiological doses of uranium in distinct organs and tissues. Studies on time-dependent factors revealed variations in uranium retention, with lower levels observed in the Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) region and higher levels on cortical bone surfaces causes the skeletal deformities. The kidney, liver, and other soft tissues (OST) exhibited a non-saturation pattern in the retention of uranium via exposure of drinking water. The age-wise non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic doses were estimated for the health hazards studies. The outcome of this study will be useful for water resource management authorities to supply safe potable water to the local residents.