Uranium Content Anomalies in Groundwater of Barnala District of Malwa Belt of Punjab (India) for the Assessment of Excess Cancer Risk

Abstract

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) has been used to measure the uranium content of the groundwater samples of Barnala district of Malwa belt of Punjab (India). Out of total 115 habitations covered under this survey, 110 are having uranium content more than 60 ppb (safe limit of AERB for India). The aim of this study is to investigate the uranium content of the groundwater in the Malwa belt of Barnala district of Punjab and to assess the radiological and chemical risk due to the uranium present through ingestion. The uranium content of the water samples of the villages under investigation varies from 62.91–290.60 ppb (μgl^-1) with an average value of 127.90 ppb (μgl^-1). The excess cancer risk varies from 1.78–8.23×10^–4with average value of 3.62 ×10^–4and hazard quotient varies from 0.80 to 3.71 with an average value of 1.63, respectively. The LADD varies from 3.64–16.81 (μg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) with an average value of 7.40 (μg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹).

Keywords: Uranium content, radiological risk, chemical risk, cancer risk

Cite this Article

Hardev Singh Virk. Uranium Content Anomalies in Groundwater of Barnala District of Malwa Belt of Punjab (India) for the Assessment of Excess Cancer Risk. Research & Reviews: Journal of Oncology and Hematology. 2019; 8(1): 19–26p.