Heavy Metals Contamination of Groundwater in Patiala District of Punjab State, India

Abstract

Punjab is facing a crisis situation due to high levels of uranium (U), especially in Malwa belt, along with heavy metals in underground water table of Punjab in selected districts both in Malwa and Majha belts. Department of Water Supply and Sanitation (DWSS), Punjab report on Water Quality Monitoring and Mitigation presents a deplorable situation about the current water quality scenario in Punjab. Nearly 50% habitations are found to be quality affected due to high contamination of arsenic, iron, aluminium, magnesium, selenium, fluorides, nitrates and other basic parameters. Uranium and Fluoride contamination dominates the scenario in Patiala district with heavy metals (aluminium, lead and nickel) following suit as major pollutants of the groundwater. The present report is based on the data collected by the Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Department (PWSSD), Mohali, Punjab, India. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) has been used to measure the heavy metal contents of the groundwater samples of Patiala district of Punjab (India). Our analysis shows that Patiala is the most contaminated district of Punjab State, and perhaps of India?

Keywords: Groundwater, heavy metals, World Health Organization, acceptable limit, permissible limit

Cite this Article

Hardev Singh Virk Heavy Metals Contamination of Groundwater in Patiala District of Punjab State, India. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Toxicology. 2019; 9(3): 34–42p.