Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater in Malwa Region of Punjab and Potential Technological Solutions

Year : 2024 | Volume : 11 | Issue : 03 | Page : 1 14
    By

    Hardev Singh Virk,

  • Shivank Mahajan,

  1. Professor of Eminence (Honorary), SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India
  2. Student, Mahindra United World College, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Bathinda is part of the Malwa region of Punjab and is part of a belt which was earlier called the cotton belt of India but is now hailed as the cancer belt of India. The Malwa region faces high cancer incidence rates. For every 1 million people living in this region, 1089 are diagnosed with cancer. The rate of cancer in the Malwa region is 36.13% higher than the national average of 800 in a million. Such a high cancer rate can be attributed to contamination of ground water by heavy metals such as As (Arsenic), U (Uranium), Pb (Lead), Se (Selenium) Hg (Mercury), and other metals. It is well established that Uranium poisoning is rampant in the Malwa region of Punjab. As per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the permissible limit of uranium in ground water is 30ppb. However, in Bathinda, the uranium content ranges from 30ppb to 325.1ppb, which is a staggering 980% higher than the permissible limit, making heavy metal contamination a serious issue. In this paper, we will be analyzing data on heavy metal contamination and identifying the main sources of such contamination of groundwater. Moreover, we will be exploring the effects of such heavy metals on the human body and how they affect cancer rates while also discussing potential affordable technologies that could be used to battle this issue.

Keywords: Cancer risk, groundwater, health hazards, heavy metals contamination, Malwa region, mitigation

[This article belongs to Journal of Water Pollution & Purification Research ]

How to cite this article:
Hardev Singh Virk, Shivank Mahajan. Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater in Malwa Region of Punjab and Potential Technological Solutions. Journal of Water Pollution & Purification Research. 2024; 11(03):1-14.
How to cite this URL:
Hardev Singh Virk, Shivank Mahajan. Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater in Malwa Region of Punjab and Potential Technological Solutions. Journal of Water Pollution & Purification Research. 2024; 11(03):1-14. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jowppr/article=2024/view=178665


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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 11
Issue 03
Received 20/09/2024
Accepted 26/09/2024
Published 17/10/2024
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