Geostatistical analysis and health risk assessment of fluoride in the groundwater of Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan
摘要
Groundwater is the primary source of drinking water through which fluoride enters the human body. Excessive intake of fluoride-contaminated water poses serious health risks. The study aims to collect groundwater samples from various sources, investigate their spatial distribution, and assess non-carcinogenic health risks. 147 samples have been collected from various groundwater sources, including borewells, dug wells, tube wells, and hand pumps, across the Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, during the post-monsoon season in November 2025, and analysed using an Ion Selective Electrode (ISE). The results indicate that the fluoride concentration range is 0.1 to 11.8 mg L−1, with 42 samples (29%) exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) permissible limit of 1.5 mg L−1. Spatial distribution mapping via ordinary kriging reveals that the highest fluoride contamination is localised in the Mohangarh block (maximum 11.8 mg L−1). Statistical evaluations were performed using the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality, followed by the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test. Block-wise non-carcinogenic health risk assessments calculating chronic daily intake (CDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) show a maximum mean HQ value of 4.04 for children and 1.73 for adults in the Mohangarh block, followed by 3.36 for children and 1.44 for adults in the Nachana block, indicating that approximately 70% of children across the study area are at a high risk of fluorosis. These findings highlight that the region is a high-risk zone for fluoride-related health issues and requires urgent mitigation strategies, such as implementing defluoridation techniques and providing alternative safe drinking water, to protect public health.