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Health risks associated with the exposure to uranium and heavy metals through potable groundwater in Uttarakhand state of India

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Abstract

The present work aims to assess health risks associated with the exposure to uranium and heavy metals via potable groundwater in Uttarakhand state of India. For this purpose, potable groundwater samples were collected from the area and analyzed using LED fluorimetry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The radiological (carcinogenic) and chemical (non-carcinogenic) risks associated with the exposure to uranium in majority of locations were observed below the safe limits suggested by WHO and USEPA. The levels of heavy metals present in potable groundwater were found well below the permissible limits recommended by WHO. An inter-comparison exercise between the results obtained with LED fluorimetry and ICPMS techniques was performed for the assurance of reliability and accuracy of results. The results were found in good agreement with each other.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India for providing financial assistance in the form of National Post Doctoral Fellowship (File No: PDF/2016/000565).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247 667, India

    Mukesh Prasad & G. Anil Kumar

  2. Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India

    S. K. Sahoo

  3. Department of Physics, H. N. B. Garhwal University, Badshahi Thaul Campus, Tehri Garhwal, 249 199, India

    R. C. Ramola

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  1. Mukesh Prasad
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Correspondence to Mukesh Prasad.

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Prasad, M., Kumar, G.A., Sahoo, S.K. et al. Health risks associated with the exposure to uranium and heavy metals through potable groundwater in Uttarakhand state of India. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 319, 13–21 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6281-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6281-7

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