A lumped-parameter model for investigation of nitrate concentration in drinking water in arid and semi-arid climates and health risk assessment

Abstract

Purpose This study was conducted to assess the capability of the lumped parameter model (LPM), an efficient model due to its analytical nature and the limited data requirements, to estimate health risks from nitrate in groundwater in arid and semi-arid climates. Methods To assess the capability of LPM, two scenarios were established: one for estimation of hazard quotient (HQ) via monitoring nitrate concentration in groundwater and the other using the LPM. After nitrate was monitored in 148 randomlyselected wells, a modified LPM was used to estimate water volume and nitrate concentration, which ultimately led to the development of a model for estimating HQ. The performances of LPM were assessed using the coefficient of determination, percentage standard deviation, and root mean square error. To compare health risk maps Kriging, Spline, Inverse distance weighted, and natural neighbor models were run using geographical information system (GIS). Results Linear analysis revealed a strong correlation between HQ values estimated in LPM and monitoring scenarios in arid climate compared to semi-arid (r = 0.962, n = 22, p = 0.00), suggesting that the LPM was more accurate in predicting nitrate concentration in the arid climate. Uncertainty analysis showed that LPM outputs were sensitive to several parameters, especially leakage from cesspits, which are involved in the sources and sinks of nitrate in the groundwater. In addition, it was found that the natural neighbor was the most appropriate model with the lowest errors for preparing health risk maps from nitrate. Conclusions The obtained results revealed that LPM can be effectively used to estimate nitrate concentration in groundwater in arid climates and thereby LPM is an appropriate model to estimate health risk from nitrate in this climate.

Anthropogenic nitrate in groundwater and its health risks in the view of background concentration in a semi arid area of Rajasthan, India

“…Excessive nitrate intake through groundwater can result in adverse biological problems, such as methemoglobinemia, which is also known as blue baby syndrome, causes infant mortality, hypertension, thyroid disorders, goiter, hives, severe cyanosis, cytogenetic defects, congenital malformations, and headaches 49 , 65 , 78 – 82 . However, in many parts of the globe where a significant populace depends entirely on groundwater resources for drinking without pre-examination of safety problems, the non-carcinogenic health risk of NO 3 − in drinking water becomes a serious issue 18 , 65 , 78 , 79 , 81 , 82 . In northern India, a detailed study done 74 and assessed the human health risk of nitrate.…”

Hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater from semiarid region of western India for drinking and agricultural purposes with special reference to water quality index and potential health risks assessment

“…Actually, various studies have detected a high relationship among farming practices and nitrate content in subsurface and surface waters . The contamination of nitrate ions is not only found in India but also observed globally (Marghade 2020; Li et al 2019;Karyab et al 2019;Quijano et al 2017;Majumdar and Gupta 2000). Many environmental scientists/workers have classified nitrate sources into a nonpoint type such as chemical fertilizers and point sources such as septic tanks and sewage systems (Narsimha and Sudarshan 2013;Adimalla 2020;Rao 2002).…”

“…To assess the potential human health risk due to ingesting of contaminated groundwater, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA 1989) developed a novel index that has been widely used (Narsimha and Rajitha 2018;Kadam et al 2019a, b;Karande et al 2020). There are many case studies reporting the problems of health risk due to consumption of contaminated water in India and all over the world (Karyab et al 2019;Quijano et al 2017;Li et al 2016;Narsimha and Rajitha 2018;Karande et al 2020). The health issues mainly arise from the contaminated air, water and soil surrounding the environment; hence, it is necessary to assess these resources and identify the sources of pollution.…”

“…Nitrate ion concentration in the groundwater used for drinking may pose an adverse health risk when the levels surpass the maximum permissible limit of 45 mg/L (BIS 2012). The noncarcinogenic risk due to nitrate ions in the groundwater is the cause of main worry for several nations (Quijano et al 2017;Adimalla and Qian 2019a, b;Li et al 2019;Karyab et al 2019;Marghade 2020), particularly in India, where most of the inhabitants rely on groundwater for drinking and domestic purposes. Characteristically, the groundwater is mainly contaminated by nitrate ion and it poses a severe health risk as it breaks in the body into nitrite, which affects oxygen transmission by tie-up with haemoglobin and results in methaemoglobinaemia, which is particularly life threatening to infants and children (Majumdar and Gupta 2000;Fytianos and Christophoridis 2004;Gupta et al 2011;Quijano et al 2017;Karyab et al 2019;Marghade 2020).…”

Anthropogenic Nitrate Pollution in Groundwater and Its Health Risks in The View of Background Concentration in a Semi-Arid Area of Rajasthan

“…Excessive nitrate intake through groundwater can result in adverse biological problems, such as methemoglobinemia, which is also known as blue baby syndrome, causes infant mortality, hypertension, thyroid disorders, goiter, hives, severe cyanosis, cytogenetic defects, congenital malformations, and headaches 50,66,[77][78][79][80][81] . However, in many parts of the globe where a significant populace depends entirely on groundwater resources for drinking without pre-examination of safety problems, the non-carcinogenic health risk of NO3in drinking water becomes a serious issue 20,66,77,78,80,81 . In northern India, a detailed study done 73 that Children in the study area are more vulnerable to health hazards than women and men.…”