Tanmay Kumar,
Santanu Mallik,
- Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Poornima College of Engineering, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
- Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Poornima College of Engineering, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Abstract
Groundwater is a critical source of drinking water in many regions worldwide, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, where dependence on untreated groundwater remains high. However, increasing groundwater contamination poses serious risks to human health. This review synthesizes recent peer-reviewed studies to examine the sources, distribution, and health impacts of major groundwater contaminants, with a focus on both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. Emphasis is placed on fluoride, nitrate, chromium, and other potentially toxic elements, which are frequently reported at concentrations exceeding recommended guideline values. The reviewed studies consistently identify ingestion as the dominant exposure pathway and demonstrate that children are the most vulnerable population group due to higher intake rates relative to body weight and greater physiological sensitivity. Non-carcinogenic health risks are primarily driven by fluoride and nitrate contamination in agricultural and hard-rock aquifers, with hazard quotient and hazard index values often exceeding acceptable thresholds. Carcinogenic risks are mainly associated with chromium and other trace metals in groundwater affected by industrial and mining activities, where lifetime cancer risk estimates frequently surpass recommended safety benchmarks. Evidence further indicates that co-occurrence of multiple contaminants can amplify overall health risk, while probabilistic assessment approaches reveal higher exceedance probabilities compared to deterministic methods, highlighting the importance of uncertainty consideration. Overall, this review underscores the need for contaminant-specific and region-appropriate groundwater management strategies. Integrated monitoring, standardized health-risk assessment, and targeted mitigation measures, with particular attention to vulnerable populations such as children, are essential to reduce long-term health risks and ensure sustainable groundwater-based drinking water security.
Keywords: Groundwater pollution; Human health risk assessment; Public health; Heavy metals
Tanmay Kumar, Santanu Mallik. Impact of Groundwater Pollution on Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Health Effects: A Review. Research & Reviews : Journal of Ecology. 2026; 15(01):-.
Tanmay Kumar, Santanu Mallik. Impact of Groundwater Pollution on Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Health Effects: A Review. Research & Reviews : Journal of Ecology. 2026; 15(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjoe/article=2026/view=238845
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Research & Reviews : Journal of Ecology
| Volume | 15 |
| 01 | |
| Received | 31/01/2026 |
| Accepted | 25/02/2026 |
| Published | 26/02/2026 |
| Publication Time | 26 Days |
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