Risk Assessment for Natural Uranium in Subsurface Water of Punjab State,India |
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Authors: | Ajay Kumar N Usha P D Sawant R M Tripathi Sanu S Raj Manish Mishra |
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Institution: | 1. Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre , Trombay, Mumbai, India;2. Environmental Assessment Division , Bhabha Atomic Research Centre , Trombay, Mumbai, India |
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Abstract: | Traces of uranium were measured by laser fluorimeter in 235 subsurface water samples collected from four districts of Punjab state in India. The concentration of U in water samples ranged between <2–644 μg/L with a mean value of 73.1 μg/L. The radiological risk was observed to be in the range of 5.55 × 10?6–1.78 × 10?3 with a mean value of 2.03 × 10?4, which is around 22% more than the maximum acceptable level (l.67 × 10?4) as per guidelines of India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. The mean of chemical toxicity risk, expressed as life time average daily dose (LADD) was worked out to be 5.56 μg/kg/day with a range of 0.15–48 μg/kg/day by considering a bodyweight of 51.5 ± 8.5 kg, water ingestion rate of 4.05 L/d, and life expectancy of 63.7 yrs for an adult Indian reference man and compared with the reference dose (4.53 μg/kg/day). The average exposure level of U was comparatively high and the chemical toxicity was expected to be more. The mean of hazard quotient (LADD/ RfD) for all four districts was found to be greater than 1, indicating that groundwater may not be suitable for consumption from a chemical toxicity point of view. |
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Keywords: | groundwater uranium laser fluorimeter radiological risk chemical risk |
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