Bajwa, and 4 co-authors, reported in 2017 that in the present investigations, Laser Fluorimetry technique has been used for the microanalysis of uranium content in drinking water samples collected from different groundwater sources via hand pumps, tube wells (drilled wells) of various depths from wide range of locations in the four districts of SW-Punjab, India. The purpose of this study was to investigate the uranium concentration of groundwater samples being used for drinking purposes and to determine its health effects, if any, to the local population of this region.
Corresponding radiological and chemical risks have also been calculated for the uranium concentrations in ground water samples. Some other heavy elements have also been analysed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. In this region, uranium concentration in 498 drinking water samples has been found to vary between 0.5 to 579 ugl-1 with an average of 73.5 ugl-1. Data analysis revealed that 338 of 498 samples had uranium concentration higher than recommended safe limit of 30 ugl-1(WHO, 2011) while 216 samples exceeded the threshold of 60 ugl-1 recommended by AERB, DAE, India, 2004.
Chronic exposure of uranium radionuclide in drinking water is a potential health risk (Blantz, Pelayo, Gushwa, Myers, & Evan,1985). Although ubiquitous in the environment, uranium has no known metabolic function in animals and is currently regarded as non-essential. Uranium accumulated in human results in chemical and radioactive effects. The principal sites of uranium deposition in the body are the kidneys, the liver and the bones. The toxicity of uranium is a function of the route of exposure, particle solubility, contact time, and route of elimination (ATSDR, 1999). The concentrations of radiotoxic elements like uranium in drinking water are hence monitored by different health organizations. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2004) had earlier recommended are a reference level 15 ugl-1 but now the permissible limit of U in drinking water by WHO is 30 ugl-1 (WHO, 2011). The reference level is derived from epidemiological studies, based on the assumption of a 60 kg adult consuming 2 litres of drinking water per day and 80% allocation of the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) to drinking water.
Maximum acceptable level of U in drinking water as per guidelines of India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Department of Atomic Energy, is 60 ugl-1 (AERB, 2004). Physico-chemical parameters (conductivity, pH, salinity, TDS and temperature etc.) of water are important in the sense that these parameters can provide important first hand in-situ information about the suitability of water for drinking purposes apart from being helpful in studying and modelling of speciation of radionuclides and anthropogenic elements in aquatic environment (Kumaret al., 2011). Total dissolved solids (TDS) comprise inorganic salts(principally calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates,chlorides and sulfates) and small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water. The source of these solids in drinking-water may be a natural one or a sewage, urban run-off and industrial wastewater.
Concentrations of TDS in water vary considerably indifferent geological regions owing to differences in the solubility of minerals. The pH is monitoring parameter to assess aquatic ecosystem health, irrigation sources and discharges, live stock, drinking water sources, industrial discharges and intakes. ORP (Redox Potential) is a measurement of water's ability to oxidize contaminants. Higher ORP simply indicates the greater number of oxidizing agents. In generalized terms for human health, a lower ORP is preferred for consumption due to the high anti-oxidant value. Though, the WHO has not set a standard for ORP in drinking water, anything below -550 mV is considered too strong and not recommended for drinking.
Keeping in view the above mentioned factors and particularly the radio-toxicity caused by U, in the present investigations an attempt has been made to evaluate the uranium and other trace elements concentrations in drinking water samples collected from four SW districts (Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot and Ferozepur) of Punjab, India.The purpose of this study was mainly to investigate the uranium and other trace elements concentration levels in drinking water being utilized by the inhabitants of study regions and its health risk assessment and thus finally to crosscheck their variation with respect to recommendations given by various national/international organizations, from purely the health hazard point of view. Other water quality chemical parameters viz. pH, conductivity, TDS and salinity have also been monitored in the drinking water samples of the study region.
The paper was initially published as an abstract in a Special Issue of the ISST Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 5, No., 2014. It was later published by Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences There are also a number of abstracts relating to radiation in general and in specific cases: http://www.i2mconsultants.com/downloads/corp/mafiadoc.com_ijap-vol-5-no-2_59a489d51723dd0c40320a82.pdf
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