Environmental fate and health exposures of the geogenic and anthropogenic contaminants in potable groundwater of Lower Ganga Basin, India

The study evaluated the sources and controlling factors of the groundwater contaminants in an agroeconomic region of Lower Ganga Basin using principal component analysis (PCA), multivariable linear regressions (MLR), correlation analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis, and evaluated the public health risks using the Latin Hypercube Sampling, goodness-of-fit statistics, Monte Carlo simulation and Sobol sensitivity analysis based on the 1000 samples collected in two sampling cycles (N = 1000). The study reveals that the dissolution of fluoride-bearing minerals and semi-arid climate regulate the fluoride concentrations (0.10–18.25 mg/L) in groundwater. Extensive application of inorganic nitrogenous fertilizers and livestock manure mainly contributed to elevated nitrate levels (up to 435.0 mg/L) in groundwater. The health risks analysis indicates that fluoride exposure is more prevalent in the residents of each age group than the nitrate and both contaminants exhibited higher non-carcinogenic health risks on the infant and child (minor) age groups compared to adolescents and adults. Based on the cokriging interpolation mapping, the minor residents of 17.88%–23.15% of the total area (4545.0 km²) are vulnerable to methemoglobinemia whereas the residents of all age-groups in 38.47%–44.45% of the total area are susceptible to mild to severe dental/skeletal fluorosis owing to consumption of untreated nitrate and fluoride enriched groundwater. The Sobol sensitivity indices revealed contaminant levels, groundwater intake rate and their collective effects are the most influential factors to pose potential health risks on the residents. Artificial recharge and rainwater harvesting practices should be adopted to improve the groundwater quality and the residents are advised to drink purified groundwater.