A peep into the state of ground water quality in the district of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India, from a radiological and chemical toxicity perspective

Uranium concentration in the ground water samples from the district of Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, was measured using an LED fluorimeter. All the samples were qualified as potable water from the radiological perspective. Though some samples showed mild chemical toxicity, they are still safe for ingestion. Different risk coefficients were calculated, and they were compared with recommended safety limits specified by various agencies. Software tools such as QGIS 15, GraphPad Prism 8 and Surfer 15 were employed for developing maps and plots.

URANIUM QUANTIFICATION IN GROUNDWATER AND HEALTH RISK FROM ITS INGESTION IN AND AROUND TIRUVANNAMALAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

The aim of this study is to assess the degree of contamination in drinking water sources around the holy mountain “Arunachala” in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. Drinking water samples from 20 different sites were collected, and their physio-chemical parameters, pH, electrical conductivity and total dissolved solvents were determined. An LED fluorimeter was used to determine the concentration of uranium in these samples. As consumption of contaminated drinking water involves both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk, excess cancer risk; life-time average daily dose; hazard quotient and annual effective dose were calculated for the samples. On comparing these values with their respective maximum permissible limits, it is found that water from the aquifers around the mountain is safe to consume.