Heavy metal contamination and health risks in ground water at Byrnihat industrial area: urgent need for remediation and public health safeguards

This article focuses on heavy metal concentration and human health risk assessment in the Byrnihat Industrial area, situated near Guwahati-Shillong Highway. The heavy metals such as chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were monitored in the ground water of the Industrial area highlighting the environmental and health concerns associated with elevated levels of Cr, Cd and Pb in groundwater. The average concentrations of Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn (in mg/L) are reported to be 0.0601, 0.0104, 0.1372, 0.0680 and 2.5321 respectively. The reported average values of Cr, Cd and Pb are found to be higher than the permissible limit set by World Health Organization (WHO) and Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS). The study identifies the diverse sources of heavy metal pollution, including industrial activities, geological formations, and anthropogenic discharges. The health risk assessment reveals significant non-carcinogenic health risks, especially for children, due to exposure to Cr and Pb, as well as substantial carcinogenic risks associated with Cr and Cd. This study offers crucial insights to support well-informed decision-making and effective intervention strategies aimed at tackling the issue of heavy metal pollution in the Byrnihat Industrial area, which has seen limited prior efforts in this regard.