Groundwater Arsenic Contamination and Potential Health Risk Assessment of Gangetic Plains of Jharkhand, India

Elevated levels of arsenic in groundwater have caused serious health problems in many countries of the world. In the present study, the level of arsenic and associated physicochemical parameters of groundwater of Sahibganj district along the river Ganga in Jharkhand, India was assessed in three seasons. The groundwater was found to be Ca–HCO3− type with low redox potential and high total dissolved solids load. Arsenic concentration was found to be highest in postmonsoon ranging between 1 and 133 µg L−1 compared to (2 to 98 µg L−1) monsoon and (7 to 115 µg L−1) premonsoon. Depth-wise heterogeneity suggested an incremental trend of arsenic with depth. Arsenic was found to be positively correlated to depth, PO43− and Fe suggesting both natural and anthropogenic role in release mechanism. Principal Component Analysis helped further to support this observation. Spatial distribution of As indicated discrete patches with high concentrations. Health risk analysis revealed high to very high carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk for adults and children in the communities dependent on groundwater of the study area. The present observation will help in defining strategies for managing the arsenic problems of Sahibganj in future.