Human health risk assessment of selected heavy metals in tanker water: A study from Kudlu, Bengaluru

Abstract

The current study aims to assess the risk in humans due to six heavy metals, namely zinc, iron, copper, cadmium, arsenic, and lead, present in the tanker water supplied in the rural area of Bangalore called Kudlu village. Water samples were analyzed for a total period of 18 months between September 2021 to February 2023. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters were assessed for the collected water samples that included 04 tanker water and 01 purified water. Chlorine, pH, alkalinity, cyanuric acid, total hardness, conductivity, temperature, sodium, potassium, total dissolved solids, calcium, and magnesium was taken into consideration. Further bacteriological contamination by E.coli was also tested. Water Quality Indices were calculated based on these parameters. Water quality indices of the tanker water samples indicated that the quality of water was not suitable for drinking. The indices like exposure frequency, Hazard coefficient, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were calculated for both adults and infants for these heavy metals. The results indicated that the heavy metal concentration observed during the studied time period poses no risk to human health.