A comprehensive analysis of the impact of arsenic, fluoride, and nitrate–nitrite dynamics on groundwater quality and its health implications

Abstract

Groundwater contamination is a growing global concern. The objective of the present study is to assess the groundwater quality of Khairpur district, Sindh, Pakistan—a region which is emblematic of broad environmental and public health challenges prevalent in South Asian countries. The study also aims to comprehend the impact of arsenic (As), fluoride (F^-), and nitrate (NO₃^-) dynamics and its health implications. Additionally, this work is vital in shaping the policies of higher authorities to take actions regarding public health. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) methods and modern analytical techniques, such as Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Ion Chromatography (IC), and UV-Vis Spectrophotometry were employed to analyze a series of groundwater samples (n = 50), taken from various locations of Khairpur district. Present study reveals a high occurrence of arsenic (As) with mean concentrations of 26.05 µg/L, and low occurrence of fluoride (0.12–0.59 mg/L) in majority of samples (68 %), hence not according to the safe drinking limits of World Health Organization (WHO). The occurrence of low nitrate (range: 0.53–22.63; mean: 3.36 mg/L) and high nitrite (range: 10.23–30.3; mean: 20.48 mg/L) in 90 and 98 % of total samples respectively suggests that an active reduction process is taking place in the study area. A link was identified between numerous anthropogenic and natural geochemical processes, including As, F^-, and NO₃^- contamination, which are contributing towards this groundwater pollution and significantly affecting the health of pediatric population in terms of skin manifestations like skin irritation, melanosis and keratosis which are early symptoms of skin cancer. Findings of present study emphasizes. Findings of the present study emphasizes an urgent need for remedial measures to mitigate the identified risk and call for a comprehensive plan to monitor and improve the quality of groundwater, in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the vulnerable communities. Our work also highlights the urgent need for environmental health awareness and policy reforms to prevent the long-term health repercussions from compromised groundwater quality.