Review on Physicochemical Characteristics of Ground Water and Their Health Effects

Ground water is well described through some physical and chemical characteristics viz temperature, pH, turbidity, electric conductivity, total dissolved solid, total hardness, total alkalinity, nitrates, chlorides, fluorides and metal ions like calcium, magnesium, iron etc. Ground water is commonly used as drinking water for human worldwide, because it is quite economic, easy to use and less vulnerable to contamination than surface water. Nowadays, industrialization, urbanization, fast growth of civilization and increase in population have led to deterioration of the groundwater quality rapidly. Domestic and industrial discharge, landfills, improper drainage system, seepage through sewer lines, agricultural practices such as intense use of pesticides and fertilizers, uneven rainfall and mismanagement are some of major causes for its pollution. Therefore, it is necessary that the quality of ground water should be checked regularly for some physical and chemical parameters as their presence in water above the permissible limit has a serious effect on human health. Hence assessment of physicochemical characteristics of ground water is very important for human health studies and therefore an important research topic in recent years. In the present work, physicochemical characteristics associated with ground water are reviewed along with their health effects.