Heavy Metal Contamination In Groundwater Research Articles

Evaluation of heavy metal contamination and human health risk using geo-statistical techniques in selected shallow hard rock aquifers of southwest India

Groundwater is a vital natural resource for drinking and irrigation purposes in India. Heavy metal contamination in groundwater is a global concern and leads to potential health risks to humans and the ecosystem. The aim of this study is to evaluate heavy metal contamination and human health risk in hard rock aquifers of southwest India. Groundwater samples were collected from open wells during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons. Heavy metal analysis was conducted using ICP-MS. Geostatistical interpolation technique was applied for spatial analysis. The results revealed that north-west region of the study area have a significant concentration of heavy metals in both the seasons due to intensive agricultural activity. Human health risk assessment in the study area revealed that children are more prone to health risks than adults and infants. Further, this study suspects moderate risk to the groundwater dependent ecosystem. Factor analysis indicates that heavy metals present in groundwater were derived from both geogenic and anthropogenic factors during both seasons. The study concludes that regular monitoring of groundwater is essential to control heavy metal contamination from anthropogenic activities. The heavy metal data obtained from this study can be a valuable database for decision makers to choose the areas of concern, for future water management plans.

Environmental and Health Risks Posed by Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater in the Sunan Coal Mine, China.

Groundwater is often used for domestic and irrigation purposes, even in mining areas. Mine drainage, rainfall, and infiltration cause heavy metal enrichment, adversely affecting the groundwater and harming human health. In this study, water samples (October 2021) in the Suzhou southern coal mining area were analyzed for the heavy metals As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn to determine potential effects of heavy metal contamination on environmental quality and human health. It was found that 22% and 31% of the sampling sites had “excellent” and “good” water quality, respectively. Excessive concentrations of Fe and Mn were detected in 47% and 72% of the samples, respectively. The non-carcinogenic health risk values of As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn were below the negligible levels of health risk set by various environmental agencies. Content ranking was as follows: Fe > Mn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Zn > As, with Fe accounting for 43%. All sampling points exceeded the maximum acceptable level of Cr recommended by the agencies. Chromium, the major carcinogenic factor in the study area, contributed to 95.45% of the total health risk. Therefore, the authorities in this region must closely monitor three heavy metal elements—Fe, Mn, and Cr.

Natural and anthropogenic origin of metallic contamination and health risk assessment: A hydro-geochemical study of Sehwan Sharif, Pakistan

Heavy metal contamination in groundwater is a serious threat to the environment and therefore its proper monitoring is a matter of great concern these days. In the present research, groundwater samples from Sehwan Sharif district Jamshoro, Pakistan were collected to estimate the concentration of various elements including potentially hazardous metals. Statistical analysis of the collected data based on Pearson co-relation metal clustering and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) divides the elements into three groups; Group I contains As, Cu, Ni, and Cd, Group II contains Mn, Fe, B, and Cr and Group III contains Pb and Zn. The elements Cu, Ni, As, Pb, Cd, and Zn found with higher RSD values demonstrate their anthropogenic origin whereas the lower concentration of Mn, Fe, B, and Cr indicate their natural origin (Tepanosyan et al., 2016). The histograms and box-plots of Mn, Fe, B and Cr were found normally distributed while abnormal for Cu, Ni, Pb, As, Cd and Zn. The HQs of these elements indicate their non-carcinogenic risks. However, results of individual metallic behavior indicate the highest HQ measured for B followed by HQs for Cu, and As. The toxic effects of investigated metal (loid)s calculated using HI were found to be 1.58 for adults and 1.35 for the child which is considered the medium chromic risk and cancer risk. About the toxicity of these heavy metals, their cancer risk was assessed on the levels of Cd, As, and Cr in groundwater. The carcinogenic risk of As was found to be 2.78 × 10−4 and 1.62 × 10−3 for child and adult, respectively. Furthermore, the values of this carcinogenic risk are 2.64 × 10−6 and 1.54 × 10−5 for Cd while 4.24 × 10−3 and 2.48 × 10−2 for Cr in child and adult, respectively.Since cancer risk exceeded the target risk of 1 × 10−4 for As and Cr in adults and children, it can thus be considered ‘non-acceptable’. The Geographic Information System (GIS) based maps were prepared using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation which showed the Spatial distribution of all elements throughout Sehwan Sharif from different sources of environment. Spatial maps of elements produced by ArcGIS show the hotspots of potentially hazardous elements such as the highest concentration of Pb, As, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cd were found in urban areas of Sehwan Sharif district Jamshoro, Pakistan.

Spatial distribution and seasonal variation of heavy metal contaminants and pollution indices in a coastal landmass of Kerala, peninsular India

ABSTRACT Heavy metal contamination in groundwater is a global health concern and its gravity is higher in India, as more than 80% of the rural and 50% of the urban population rely on it for drinking purposes. The present study comprehensively analysed the source, distribution pattern, and seasonal flux of heavy metals in the groundwater sources of Malappuram district, a coastal landmass in peninsular India, using multivariate statistics, pollution indices, and interpolation models in GIS. In three seasons, higher incidences of Pb, Ni and Cd and lower persistence of Zn and Cu were observed during the study period. Heavy metal Pollution Index (HPI) was highest during the pre-monsoon season as 57.57% of the samples were above the critical value. The Metal Index (MI) was higher in coastal areas and is linked to fluvial deposits. More than 77% of the samples were noted to be acidic in all the seasons due to geogenic influxes that accelerated the dissolution of toxic metals upon contact. The HPI interpolation model reveals less heavy metal contamination in the coastal plains, compared to midland and highland urban centres, indicating the least influence of terrain characteristics in the translocation of heavy metals in the groundwater sources.

Contamination of groundwater with heavy metals and its impact on soil and plants – A review

Heavy metals are naturally occurring compound elements that exist in many forms in the environment and the Earth’s biosphere. It is any metallic chemical element with a high density that is hazardous or dangerous at tiny concentrations. Mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and nickel are examples of heavy metals (Ni). These elements are mostly found in water and soil. These natural elements are created by the weathering of parent materials and should occur as a result of human actions. Heavy metal contamination is a severe issue due to its toxicity and ease of propagation in the biotic world. It also has serious consequences for animals, soils, crops, and humans. In this work, we will primarily examine heavy metal contamination in groundwater and its impact on soil. These elements are beneficial to both plants and humans, but exceeding the safe limit generates pollution and has a negative impact on the ecosystem. Heavy metal contamination in soil degrades land and poses a risk to soil and plant growth.

Extracellular Polymeric Substances Facilitate the Adsorption and Migration of Cu2+ and Cd2+ in Saturated Porous Media.

Heavy metal contamination in groundwater is a serious environmental problem. Many microorganisms that survive in subsurface porous media also produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), but little is known about the effect of these EPS on the fate and transport of heavy metals in aquifers. In this study, EPS extracted from soil with a steam method were used to study the adsorption behaviors of Cu2+ and Cd2+, employing quartz sand as a subsurface porous medium. The results showed that EPS had a good adsorption capacity for Cu2+ (13.5 mg/g) and Cd2+ (14.1 mg/g) that can be viewed using the Temkin and Freundlich models, respectively. At a pH value of 6.5 ± 0.1 and a temperature of 20 °C, EPS showed a greater affinity for Cu2+ than for Cd2+. The binding force between EPS and quartz sand was weak. The prior saturation of the sand media with EPS solution can significantly promote the migration of the Cu2+ and Cd2+ in sand columns by 8.8% and 32.1%, respectively. When treating both metals simultaneously, the migration of Cd2+ was found to be greater than that of Cu2+. This also demonstrated that EPS can promote the co-migration of Cu2+ and Cd2+ in saturated porous media.

Assessment of heavy metal contamination in groundwater of Diyarbakir Oil Production Area, (Turkey) using pollution indices and chemometric analysis

Assessment of heavy metal contamination in groundwater of Diyarbakir Oil Production Area, (Turkey) using pollution indices and chemometric analysis

Human health risk of heavy metal contamination in groundwater and source apportionment

Human health risk of heavy metal contamination in groundwater and source apportionment

Sources and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in groundwater in the mineral-rich tribal belt of Bastar, Central India

Concentrations of trace elements (Al, B, As, Be, Cd, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Cr, Sb, Ni, Li, Sn, Mn, Zn, V and Se) were determined in 160 groundwater samples, collected during pre-monsoon (PRM) and post-monsoon (POM) period (2017) in the tribal belt of Bastar, central India, using inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentrations of Al, As, Fe, Mn and Ni were found exceeding the permissible limits in 49% of samples. Cd, Sn and Se elements have shown two-fold increment in POM samples than those collected during PRM. On the contrary, Al, Ba, Co, Cr and Fe have shown a declining trend from PRM to POM period. On applying Principal component analysis (PCA) and Positive matrix factorization (PMF) approaches to the dataset, observed three primary sources (natural, geogenic and agricultural) for groundwater elemental components. Among the measured potentially toxic elements (PTEs), As has shown higher carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk in children as well as adults This study recommends the regular monitoring of heavy metal contamination of groundwater as various geogenic and anthropogenic activities may elevate the risk of severe health hazards.

Assessment and source identification of heavy metal contamination of groundwater using geospatial technology in Gadilam River basin, Tamil Nadu, India

The purpose of this study is to determine the groundwater quality of the Gadilam River basin on the basis of Geographic Information Technology (GIS) taxonomy evaluation and risk assessment and statistical analysis. The Gadilam River originates from the district of Kallakurichi and flows into the district of Viluppuram finally confluence at Bay of Bengal in the district of Cuddalore. Groundwater supplies are serving the entire drinking needs of the residents of the Gadilam River basin, and pollution of its toxic elements has been raised in recent years. A total of 120 groundwater samples, excluding reserved forest areas, were obtained from the Gadilam River basin. 50 samples of the Archaean formation, 34 samples of the Quaternary formation, 35 additional Tertiary formation samples and one Cretaceous formation sample. During the monsoon season (Nov. 2018), groundwater samples were taken, which is after the Gaja cyclone’s diastral effects. At the time of the sample acquisition, pH, EC and TDS were measured using the Elico field kit. Using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, the heavy metals Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Co, Fe, Mn and Ni were analyzed. The spatial distribution maps of the GIS shows that in all the samples the concentrations of chromium, lead, cobalt, nickel are high (above the permitted limit). In 93.40%of the area, the manganese concentrations are higher, dropping under the unauthorized cap for human use in compliance with WHO requirements. In addition, statistical analysis indicates that groundwater pollution of the roots of Pb and Cr is from foreign sources and geogenic origin cannot be avoided. The country's rocks and industrial effluents can trigger Zn and Co. The anthropogenic operations may be due to Cu. The taxonomy diagram showing all groundwater samples is classified as ‘near neutral high metal.’ Industrial waste, household sewage, has boosted the emission of heavy metals. Groundwater risk assessment study of heavy metals using SMCE approach reveals that dense residential area in the Archaean formation, lineaments intersection with river portion and sea shore area in Quaternary formation and nearby SIPCOT industry and Lignite mining area in Tertiary formation is noted in the ‘Extreme risk dangerous’ areas.

Determination of Heavy Metals in Groundwater Around Al-Buraihi Sewage Station in Taiz City, Yemen.

Background.In recent years, mitigation of groundwater contamination resulting from the limited availability of freshwater for domestic use has become an important issue. The presence of heavy metals in water could have adverse effects on both plant and animal life.Objectives.The main objective of the present study was to determine possible heavy metal contamination in groundwater around Al-Buraihi sewage station in Taiz, Yemen and to understand possible sources of contamination and their relationships with groundwater.Methods.Wastewater samples were collected from a wastewater stabilization pond from Al-Buraihi sewage station and borewell water samples were collected from the vicinity. The presence of heavy metals was quantified using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Pearson correlation test was performed to understand the relationship between wastewater and groundwater samples.Results.Physical variables including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature and elements such as silver (Ag), arsenic (As), aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), boron (B), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), molybdenum, nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) exceeded the permissible limits recommended by international standards in wastewater samples.Conclusions.Treated sewage wastewater in the study area is not suitable for irrigation as the elements/heavy metals are accumulated in soil and plants and may be accumulated in humans and animals through bio-accumulation. In addition, these heavy metals reach the water table and aquifers through percolation, thereby polluting groundwater.Competing Interests.The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Disentangling Microbial Syntrophic Mechanisms for Hexavalent Chromium Reduction in Autotrophic Biosystems.

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is one of the common heavy-metal contaminants in groundwater, and the availability of electron donors is considered to be a key parameter for Cr(VI) biotransformation. During the autotrophic remediation process, however, much remains to be illuminated about how complex syntrophic microbial communities couple Cr(VI) reduction with other elemental cycles. Two series of Cr(VI)-reducing groundwater bioreactors were independently amended by elemental sulfur and iron and inoculated with the same inoculum. After 160 days of incubation, both bioreactors showed similar archaea-dominating microbiota compositions, whereas a higher Cr(VI)-reducing rate and more methane production were detected in the Fe0-driven one. Metabolic reconstruction of 23 retrieved genomes revealed complex symbiotic relationships driving distinct elemental cycles coupled with Cr(VI) reduction in bioreactors. In both bioreactors, these Cr(VI) reducers were assumed to live in syntrophy with oxidizers of sulfur, iron, hydrogen, and volatile fatty acids and methane produced by carbon fixers and multitrophic methanogens, respectively. The significant difference in methane production was mainly due to the fact that the yielded sulfate greatly retarded acetoclastic methanogenesis in the S-bioreactor. These findings provide insights into mutualistic symbioses of carbon, sulfur, iron, and chromium metabolisms in groundwater systems and have implications for bioremediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater.

Causes of heavy metal contamination in groundwater of Tuticorin industrial block, Tamil Nadu, India.

Groundwater is the major freshwater resource in urban and rural areas of India that provides potable water. The quality evaluation of existing groundwater resources is vital and it's quantity for the optimal utilization and maintenance. The bounding coordinates of the selected study area of Tuticorin industrial area is between 8°38'24" and 8°51'0" latitude and between 77°54'36" and 78°12'36" longitude. Groundwater samples were collected as grid form at 40 locations during the pre- and postmonsoon seasons in the year 2017. Fe, Zn, Co, Pb, Mn, Ni, Cr, and Cumetal concentrations were determined using AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer)-Perkin Elmer makes the model AAnalyst 200. Most of the groundwater samples were exceeded by the WHO 2008; USEPA 2009; and BIS 2012 guideline for drinking water standards. Further to assess the groundwater pollution status based on theheavy metal indices such as heavy metal pollution index (HPI), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), degree of contamination (DOC), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI). Statistical analyses to found the appropriateness of groundwater for consumption and factors of contamination. The evaluation results indicate that groundwater is highly deteriorated and unsuitable for drinking in premonsoon period. Whileevaporation of water which increases the heavy metal concentration in premonsoon and dilution factor was affected in postmonsoon season. The increased concentration of heavy metals in groundwater might have been caused by evaporation, anthropogenic activities, and dissolution of rock formations which poses risk to human health. If this kind of growing contamination in the groundwater is unattended, it may lead to various health issues to the people from this region. Therefore, a consistent and sustainable water management should be carried out in this region in order to improve the groundwater quality.

Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Groundwater of Industrial Township Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, India.

The present investigation deals with the health risk assessment due to the heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Co, Mn, Pb, Ni, and Zn) in groundwater in the industrial township of Virudhunagar district. Twenty groundwater samples were collected, and the measured concentration of the heavy metals follows the order Pb > Ni > Zn > Co > Cr > Cd > Cu > Mn. The metal pollution indices (heavy metal evaluation index, Heavy metal pollution index, degree of contamination) were calculated using the measured heavy metal concentrations. The samples collected nearer to the industrial zone have elevated concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Ni. The carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks were calculated based on the measured heavy metals concentration and average daily intake of water. The calculated carcinogenic risk values (5.66 × 10-3-1.56 × 10-2) (Pb, Cd, and Ni) exceed the acceptable limit of 10-6-10-4. The noncarcinogenic risk exceeds the acceptable limit of one for the heavy metals Pb and Cr. The higher carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risk values reveal that the study area has health risks due to Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr metals. Furthermore, factor analysis and cluster analysis showed that the industrial impact and wastage dumpsites are the prime sources for heavy metal contamination in groundwater of the study area.

Health risk analysis of nitrite, nitrate, and heavy metal pollution in groundwater near landfill area: A case study of the Sumur Batu village in Bekasi, Indonesia

Previous studies state that improper landfill or waste management is one of the main causes of nitrite, nitrate, and heavy metal contamination in groundwater. In Bekasi, Indonesia, 70% of the population depends on groundwater for daily use, including the residents of Sumur Batu. The village of Sumur Batu is located adjacent to two landfills, namely, the Bantar Gebang landfill, which is the largest landfill in Indonesia, and the Sumur Batu landfill. This research analyzed the health risk of drinking groundwater that may have been contaminated by nitrite, nitrate, and heavy metals. Data processing was performed separately for different age groups: infants, children, and adults. The results showed that there is a risk of NO2 exposure in all age groups when groundwater is used as a source of drinking water in Sumur Batu. Because the region is directly bordered by a landfill area and the community is highly dependent on groundwater, as long as access to water services is not guaranteed, the quality of groundwater in this area needs to be monitored.

Modelling heavy metals contamination in groundwater of Southern Punjab, Pakistan

The present study aimed to develop a numerical simulation to predict the chemistry change of groundwater heavy metals pollution (mainly arsenic pollution) in the Southern region of the Punjab Province of Pakistan. This work is the first attempt in modelling the transport of groundwater heavy metals pollution in the area using a 1D reactive transport model. PHREEQC was employed to perform the numerical simulation. The conceptual model represented the 1D numerical transport model with the homogenous mineral composition having uniform transport of the municipal wastewater. A 100 m column—20 cell transport model was used with a time step of 5000 years, making a simulated timescale of 100,000 years. The simulation was carried out using quartz, illite, and calcite kinetics. Arsenic sorption kinetics were also incorporated in the simulation. The results revealed that the concentrations of four out of ten heavy metals and three out of eight inorganic ions were above the drinking water quality standards at the end of the simulation making the groundwater unsafe for drinking purposes. The arsenic concentration was found out to be 3.79 mg/l against 100,000 year which is 379 times the international drinking water standard and about 76 times the national drinking water standard for arsenic. It is concluded that the groundwater, regardless of the natural soil treatment, will be highly contaminated after 100,000 years, particularly with heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, iron, lead, and nickel. The groundwater quality can be enhanced by appreciating the preventive measures recommended in this study.

Heavy metal contamination in groundwater and surface water due to active Pb-Zn-Cu mine tails and water-rock interactions: A case study from the Küre mine area (Turkey)

This study aimed at elucidating the groundwater and surface water pollution resulting from water-rock interaction, mine tailings, and mining activities at Küre (Kastamonu) sulfidic Pb-Zn-Cu mine area and its vicinity. The study area has a surface area of approximately 2990 km2. The Küre River drainage site covering the study area is approximately 440 km2. The concentrations of SO4, Al, As, Ba, Mn, Ni, Sb, and Pb in some groundwater (K10, K20, K21, K27, K28, K29, K30), and surface water (KR3) exceed the maximum limit values with respect to the Turkish Standards for Water Intended For Human Consumption and World Health Organization Standards. The most polluted waters were K10, K27, and KR3. The K10 well was drilled for observation at the edge of the liquid mine tailing pond of the Küre Pb-Zn-Cu mine area. The K27 well was opened in alluvium outside of the study area and it cuts the clastic units and Mesozoic ophiolites. The KR3 measurement point is located on the Ersizler River, which drains the Küre Pb-Zn-Cu mining site and its dumps. The SO4, Al, As, Pb, and Sb concentrations of the K10, K27, and KR3 waters were 29.3, 0.8, and 15.1 meq/L; 1135, 1112, and 1186 ppb; 284, 255, and 271 ppb; 19.1, 19, and 18.5 ppb; and 18.7, 17.4, and 19.3 ppb, respectively, in the dry period. As revealed by the analysis, the study area had dual pollution source natural pollution caused by water-rock interactions (K27 and others) and anthropogenic pollution (K10 and KR3) caused by the mine tailings. Furthermore, the K10 water had high tritium (3H)-high electrical conductivity (EC) values that likely indicated anthropogenic contamination. The K27 water had low 3H-high EC values, presumably referring to geogenic contamination. The current study also demonstrated that there was leakage from the liquid mine tailing pond into the groundwater (K10), possibly implying discharge of the liquid mine tailings into the river (KR3).

Assessment of nitrate and heavy metal contamination of groundwater using the heavy metal pollution index: case study of Linares, Mexico

Groundwater contamination is a significant problem in Mexico and around the world. It can be influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. In Linares, Mexico, we identified several wells used to cover the water demand for different human activities with nearby potential sources of contamination, including urban, agricultural, and livestock activities, electrical and electronic waste disposal, and fuel storage tanks. We then explored groundwater contamination herein as a result of anthropogenic activities as well as the hydrodynamics of the porous and fractured aquifers in the region based on physiochemical analyses of water samples and the heavy metal pollution index (HPI). The fractured aquifer is composed of shales with a thickness of 70–400 m, while the porous aquifer is composed mainly of gravels, sands, silt, and moderately cemented clays with a thickness of 5 m. The groundwater level is on average 20 m deep, and the flow direction is west to east. The identified water facies are mainly Ca–HCO3 type, originating from the dissolution of diverse carbonated materials in the area. It was also possible to identify the mixing of groundwater and water influenced by various agricultural and livestock activities, including the use of pesticides and fertilizers and the direct deposition of cattle excreta. The average nitrate concentration of the sampled wells was 80 mg/L, higher than the permissible limit set by the WHO and Mexican standards. The calculated HPI value was 470, well above the critical value of 100, mostly due to the presence of Cd, which is likely associated with the storage of electrical and electronic waste and fuel tanks in the area. These results show that the water wells sampled in Linares, Mexico, without further treatment, are unsuitable for human use. It is important to continue to monitor the contamination of groundwater by heavy metals in different areas of Mexico and to identify potential sources of contamination to create mitigation strategies and ensure the safety and sustainability of water resources in the future.

Insight into barrier mechanism of fly ash-bentonite blocking wall for lead pollution in groundwater

Groundwater barriers are extensively used for absorbing and blocking heavy-metal contaminants in groundwater. Experiments were conducted to characterize and evaluate the adsorption and migration of Pb(II) through a novel fly ash-bentonite blocking wall. Laboratory analyses included column diffusion, digestion and centrifuge tests to determine the permeability, adsorption, diffusion, and form of Pb(II). By diffusion and column tests, the effective diffusion coefficient of the blocking wall was estimated to be 4.47 × 10−10 m2 s−1 and the stable seepage velocity of Pb(II) was obtained to be 3.55 × 10−9 m s−1. These tests were used to determine the service life of the fly ash-bentonite mixture, which is shown to be superior to other bentonite mixtures, including silt, loess-silt, and kaolin. The service life is a function of the thickness, retardation factor, design breakthrough concentration, and upstream head.

Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater: An Effect of Dump Site Leachate Percolation, Case Study; Selected Dump Sites of Osubi, Western Niger-Delta

Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater: An Effect of Dump Site Leachate Percolation, Case Study; Selected Dump Sites of Osubi, Western Niger-Delta