Quantification of potentially toxic element contamination in groundwater using the novel particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique and human health impacts

Abstract

The particle-induced X-ray emission system is an extremely responsive multi-elemental diagnostic practice uses to analyze thin films, air, water, archaeological and biological samples. This complicated system was used to quantify heavy metals presented in groundwater in the South-Central part of Bangladesh. Contaminates in tube-well water are related in a straight line with human health hazard. The study was designed to scrutinize heavy metal concentrations in 170 groundwater samples collected from densely settled area of Gopalganj District, Bangladesh. The samples were collected from 96 No. Fukra, Kurulia and Kandi Tilchara Mouza. The study represents that the highest arsenic concentration was 260 μg/L, iron was 17.21 mg/L, manganese was 0.94 mg/L, zinc was 1.71 mg/L and copper was 0.07 mg/L. The end result evidently showed that almost 5.0 times elevated arsenic concentration, 17.0 times higher iron concentration, 9.0 times elevated manganese concentration were found in the study area as compared to standard value approved by Bangladesh. The peak concentration of arsenic was found in Kandi Tilchchara Mouza, which was along the bank of Madhumati River. The spatial distribution showed that arsenic concentration was relatively towering in Kandi Tilchchara Mouza. Majority of water sources were unsuitable for drinking and cooking in terms of arsenic and manganese concentrations. The cumulative ingestion of drinking water along the study area imposes high non-carcinogenic and very high cancer risk to the residents’ health.