Sustainable groundwater quality in southeast coastal Bangladesh: co-dispersions, sources, and probabilistic health risk assessment

Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam (), Mohammad Mahbub Kabir, Sharmina Faruk, Jawad Jahin, Md. Bodrud-Doza, Md. Didar-ul-Alam, Newaz Mohammed Bahadur, Mohammad Mohinuzzaman, Konica J. Fatema, M. Safiur Rahman and Tasrina Rabia Choudhury
Additional contact information
Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam: Begum Rokeya University
Mohammad Mahbub Kabir: Noakhali Science and Technology University
Sharmina Faruk: Noakhali Science and Technology University
Jawad Jahin: Begum Rokeya University
Md. Bodrud-Doza: BRAC
Md. Didar-ul-Alam: Noakhali Science and Technology University
Newaz Mohammed Bahadur: Noakhali Science and Technology University
Mohammad Mohinuzzaman: Noakhali Science and Technology University
Konica J. Fatema: Atomic Energy Center
M. Safiur Rahman: Atomic Energy Center
Tasrina Rabia Choudhury: Atomic Energy Center

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2021, vol. 23, issue 12, No 53, 18394-18423

Abstract: Abstract Groundwater quality is a serious environmental concern that links to sustainable development in Bangladesh, particularly in the southeast coastal region to guarantee drinking water safety. Groundwater quality, co-dispersions, sources, and probabilistic health risk were assessed simultaneously using multiple approaches and indexes including the entropy water quality index, groundwater quality index (GWQI), Moran’s spatial autocorrelation index, fuzzy logic GIS, principal component analysis (PCA), the correlation matrix (CM), hazard index (HI), carcinogenic risk (CR), and stochastic uncertainty analysis. The average concentrations of EC (781.66 μS/cm), Mg2+ (40.75 mg/L), K + (11.96 mg/L), NO2− (3.57 mg/L), Fe (1950.76 μg/L), Mn (130.04 μg/L), Cd (1.75 μg/L) and Pb (42.22 μg/L) were identified in groundwater and surpassed the water quality limits from 25 to 100% based on the sampling sites. SO42−, NO2− and NO3− were the priority contributors affecting water quality degradation. Approximately 30 and 33% of samples were unfit for drinking use employing the EWQI and GWQI, respectively. Spatially, groundwater quality is degraded from southwest to northeast area inundating by saline water. PCA and CM disclosed that Fe, Mn, and Cu had geogenic origins from the dissolution of weathering and leaching; Pb and Zn were primarily from nonpoint sources; Cd, and As were dominated by the mixed sources. Based on the non-carcinogenic risk (NCR), the HI values were above the permissible limit (> 1) for both adults and children, except for a few sites, indicating harmful health risks on humans. The attribution of the analyzed metals did not outweigh the CR range (10–6–10–4) with an elevated risk of children. Uncertainty analysis identified As concentration, exposure duration, and exposure frequency as the most significant parameters affecting the probabilistic health risk results. The outcome of this study can provide the baseline data for sustainable groundwater management and human health protection in the coastal region.

Keywords: Entropy water quality index; Drinking water susceptibility; Salinity; Carcinogenic risk; Coastal environments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01447-4

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