HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT AND HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION LEVELS IN GREEN CHILLI DUE TO UNTREATED WASTEWATER IRRIGATION IN CHAK JHUMRA, FAISALABAD

To address the global issue of water scarcity, untreated wastewater irrigation has become a common practice in the developing countries to meet the emerging demand of irrigation water. It is a common practice in Pakistan as well to apply municipal wastewater for irrigation purposes, which is carrying high concentrations of heavy metals originating from industrial sources. The research was conducted in Chak Jhumra, Faisalabad, Pakistan to check the effect on health due to untreated wastewater. The purpose of this research work was to find out the concentrations of hazardous elements present in the wastewater and conduct health risk assessment of utilizing the contaminated vegetables, being grown on untreated effluent. The main parameters to be investigated for groundwater, wastewater, soil and vegetables were EC, TSS, SAR and Heavy metals like (Ni, Zn, Pb, and Cu). Concentrations of the targeted heavy metals were determined in these media and health risk assessment was conducted. It was finally concluded that the soil properties were greatly influenced by the supply of this wastewater. Zinc was found above safe limit, Cu was found within safe limit, Ni and Pb were above critical limits in all sites. Groundwater was found suitable and its values were within safe limits. Health risk assessment has also exhibited significant impact of the concentrations of heavy metals in the vegetables being utilized by the common man.