NEW DELHI: A recent study by researchers from IIT Mandi has uncovered a serious health hazard in the groundwater of Himachal Pradesh’s Baddi Barotiwala area, revealing the presence of cancer-causing agents.
The study highlights that between 2013 and 2018, contamination in this region’s groundwater led to numerous cases of cancer and renal diseases. Researchers have underscored the urgent need to monitor industrial effluents for toxic metals such as zinc, lead, nickel, and chromium.
“In India, groundwater is heavily used for agriculture and domestic consumption. However, rapid urbanization, industrialization, and population growth have led to increased groundwater use and a decline in its quality. Northern India has faced severe water quality issues. Similar issues are evident in Himachal Pradesh’s BB industrial area, where industrialization has contaminated groundwater with toxic metals, exceeding permissible limits. The reliance on untreated groundwater has caused numerous health problems, including significant reports of cancer and renal disease between 2013 and 2018,” the researchers stated.
Considering that over 80% of health issues in developing countries are linked to waterborne diseases, resulting in 1.5 million deaths annually from poor water quality and hygiene, the importance of this study cannot be overstated.
Using chemical hydrology techniques, the study analyzed groundwater samples, identified contamination sources, and assessed health risks. It found significant health risks linked to groundwater contaminated with geogenic uranium and industrial pollutants like zinc, lead, cobalt, nickel, and chromium.
Published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, the study evaluated non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks from the oral intake of contaminated groundwater, identified key metals of concern, and created geospatial maps showing metal contamination and health risks across villages.
“Groundwater poses high health risks through oral intake, necessitating urgent remediation. Monitoring industrial effluents for zinc, lead, nickel, and chromium is essential to prevent health hazards. Policies must be framed to balance industrial development with public health for sustainable growth,” said Dr. Deepak Swami, Associate Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, IIT Mandi.
The study noted that the region’s groundwater is primarily composed of calcium carbonate with uniform uranium levels. Most metal contaminants were traced to industrial sources, while uranium and molybdenum were naturally occurring.
Human health assessments revealed high non-carcinogenic risks to adults and children primarily due to natural uranium, with additional risks from industrial sources of zinc, lead, cobalt, and barium. Carcinogenic risks were notably high for adults, mainly due to industrial nickel and chromium.
“The objective of the research was to analyze the chemical composition of the groundwater, considered readily potable by the nearby communities, and to map the pollution status in the industrial region of Baddi-Barotiwala,” said Nitin Joshi, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Jammu.
