Comprehensive Assessment of Water Quality of a Transboundary River in Nepal Using Hydro-Chemical, Chemometric, Health Risk and Index-Based Approaches

IF 3.8 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Pub Date : 2025-03-10 DOI:10.1007/s11270-025-07844-z

Ramesh Raj Pant, Memet Varol, Mahesh Prasad Awasthi, Rupesh Bohara, Sudip Paudel, Jharana Nepal, Siddha Raj Pant, Tark Raj Joshi, Kiran Bishwakarma, Mansour Almazroui, Muhammad Mubashar Dogar, Rabin Chakrabortty

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Abstract

In this study, advanced hydro-chemical analysis, chemometric techniques, health risk assessment and various indices were used to comprehensively assess the water quality of Mahakali River, which is an essential water resource for Nepal and India. Most parameters measured in the water samples collected from 25 sites in the basin during the pre- and post-monsoon periods were found to be compliance with drinking water standards, except NH₄⁺ and Fe. The Water Quality Index values classified both the main river and its tributary (Chameliya River) as “unsuitable” for drinking. Nutrient pollution was found to be more severe in the tributary, which is much more affected by anthropogenic activities than the main river. Hydro-chemical analysis showed that the dominant water type in the basin is Ca–HCO₃, which is mainly controlled by rock weathering. Apart from the magnesium hazard index, other irrigation indices confirmed that the surface water of the study area is suitable for agriculture. Chemometric methods provided deeper insights into the water chemistry of the basin by revealing pollution sources and relationships between parameters. Health risk assessment revealed minimal adverse health effects for children and adults exposed to NO₃–N, Fe and F⁻. This pioneering study not only provides a holistic evaluation of water quality in a Himalayan glacier-fed river system but also establishes an innovative framework for sustainable water management in climate-sensitive regions worldwide.

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来源期刊

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

6.90%

发文量

448

审稿时长

2.6 months

期刊介绍： Water, Air, & Soil Pollution is an international, interdisciplinary journal on all aspects of pollution and solutions to pollution in the biosphere. This includes chemical, physical and biological processes affecting flora, fauna, water, air and soil in relation to environmental pollution. Because of its scope, the subject areas are diverse and include all aspects of pollution sources, transport, deposition, accumulation, acid precipitation, atmospheric pollution, metals, aquatic pollution including marine pollution and ground water, waste water, pesticides, soil pollution, sewage, sediment pollution, forestry pollution, effects of pollutants on humans, vegetation, fish, aquatic species, micro-organisms, and animals, environmental and molecular toxicology applied to pollution research, biosensors, global and climate change, ecological implications of pollution and pollution models. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution also publishes manuscripts on novel methods used in the study of environmental pollutants, environmental toxicology, environmental biology, novel environmental engineering related to pollution, biodiversity as influenced by pollution, novel environmental biotechnology as applied to pollution (e.g. bioremediation), environmental modelling and biorestoration of polluted environments. Articles should not be submitted that are of local interest only and do not advance international knowledge in environmental pollution and solutions to pollution. Articles that simply replicate known knowledge or techniques while researching a local pollution problem will normally be rejected without review. Submitted articles must have up-to-date references, employ the correct experimental replication and statistical analysis, where needed and contain a significant contribution to new knowledge. The publishing and editorial team sincerely appreciate your cooperation. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution publishes research papers; review articles; mini-reviews; and book reviews.