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Risk assessment (chemical and radiological) dueto intake of uranium through the ingestion of drinking water aroundtwo proposed uranium mining areas, Jharkhand, India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 August 2012

S. Giri  and
V.N. Jha
S. Giri*
Affiliation:
Geo-Environment Division (EMG)Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad, 826015 India
V.N. Jha
Affiliation:
Environmental Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India
*
Corresponding author: Dr. Soma Giri, e-mail: [email protected].
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Abstract

Uranium is known for both chemical and radiologicaltoxicity. East Singhbhum is known for uranium mining, and radionuclidescan be expected in its groundwater. Groundwater was collected aroundtwo proposed sites of Bagjata and Banduhurang and analysed for U(nat).The study reveals that the U(nat) varied from <0.5–11.2 and <0.5–27.5 µg.L-1 for the Bagjata and Banduhurang mining areas, respectively.The excess lifetime cancer risk due to the consumption of uraniumin water was calculated to be in the range of 8.81 × 10-6 to4.34 × 10-5 and 3.36 × 10-6 to 9.55 × 10-5 forthe two study areas, which are within the acceptable cancer riskvalue of 1 × 10-4. However, the risk at a few locationsis very close to the threshold value. The chemical risk evaluatedby the hazard quotient was found to be within 0.05–0.23 and 0.02–0.6for the two study areas and did not exceed the limit of 1. Thus,the concentration of U(nat) in the groundwater presently does notpose any serious threat to local people but must be monitored periodicallyand adequate actions must be taken in the few areas with elevatedlevels of uranium in the groundwater.

Keywords

groundwaterIndiauraniumrisk assessmenthazard quotientcancer risk
Type
Research Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 47 , Issue 4 , October 2012 , pp. 543 - 551
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2012

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