Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi Arabia
High nitrate and fluoride contamination in groundwater cause a variety of disorders, including methemoglobinemia, teratogenesis, and dental and skeletal fluorosis. The present work assesses the non-carcinogenic health risks posed by nitrate and fluoride in infants, children, and adults using the dai...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/12/2220 |
| _version_ | 1797592250079772672 |
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| author | Talal Alharbi Abdelbaset S. El-Sorogy |
| author_facet | Talal Alharbi Abdelbaset S. El-Sorogy |
| author_sort | Talal Alharbi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | High nitrate and fluoride contamination in groundwater cause a variety of disorders, including methemoglobinemia, teratogenesis, and dental and skeletal fluorosis. The present work assesses the non-carcinogenic health risks posed by nitrate and fluoride in infants, children, and adults using the daily water intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI). Groundwater samples were collected from 36 wells and boreholes in three central Saudi Arabian study areas for nitrate and fluoride analysis using ionic chromatography and fluoride selective electrode, respectively. Nitrate concentrations varied from 0.70 to 47.00 mg/L. None of the 36 studied boreholes had nitrate levels that exceeded WHO guidelines (50.00 mg/L). Fluoride ranged from 0.63 to 2.00 mg/L, and 30.55% of the fluoride samples (11 out of 36) exceeded the WHO recommendations for acceptable drinking water (1.5 mg/L). The average hazard index (HI) values for adults, children, and infants were 0.99, 2.59, and 2.77, respectively. Water samples surpassed the safety level of 1 for adults, children, and infants at 44.44, 97.22, and 100%, respectively. Accordingly, water samples from Jubailah and a few from Wadi Nisah may expose infants, children, and adults to non-cancer health concerns. Infants and children are more vulnerable to non-carcinogenic health risks than adults, possibly due to their lower body weight. Immediate attention and remedial measures must be implemented to protect residents from the adverse effects of F- in the study area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:48:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2002ca8b0b21400eaa6a1fa1871612fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:48:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-2002ca8b0b21400eaa6a1fa1871612fc2023-11-18T13:04:57ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-06-011512222010.3390/w15122220Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi ArabiaTalal Alharbi0Abdelbaset S. El-Sorogy1Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaGeology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaHigh nitrate and fluoride contamination in groundwater cause a variety of disorders, including methemoglobinemia, teratogenesis, and dental and skeletal fluorosis. The present work assesses the non-carcinogenic health risks posed by nitrate and fluoride in infants, children, and adults using the daily water intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI). Groundwater samples were collected from 36 wells and boreholes in three central Saudi Arabian study areas for nitrate and fluoride analysis using ionic chromatography and fluoride selective electrode, respectively. Nitrate concentrations varied from 0.70 to 47.00 mg/L. None of the 36 studied boreholes had nitrate levels that exceeded WHO guidelines (50.00 mg/L). Fluoride ranged from 0.63 to 2.00 mg/L, and 30.55% of the fluoride samples (11 out of 36) exceeded the WHO recommendations for acceptable drinking water (1.5 mg/L). The average hazard index (HI) values for adults, children, and infants were 0.99, 2.59, and 2.77, respectively. Water samples surpassed the safety level of 1 for adults, children, and infants at 44.44, 97.22, and 100%, respectively. Accordingly, water samples from Jubailah and a few from Wadi Nisah may expose infants, children, and adults to non-cancer health concerns. Infants and children are more vulnerable to non-carcinogenic health risks than adults, possibly due to their lower body weight. Immediate attention and remedial measures must be implemented to protect residents from the adverse effects of F- in the study area.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/12/2220nitratefluoridehazard indexgroundwaterSaudi Arabia |
| spellingShingle | Talal Alharbi Abdelbaset S. El-Sorogy Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi Arabia Water nitrate fluoride hazard index groundwater Saudi Arabia |
| title | Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate and Fluoride in the Groundwater of Central Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | health risk assessment of nitrate and fluoride in the groundwater of central saudi arabia |
| topic | nitrate fluoride hazard index groundwater Saudi Arabia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/12/2220 |
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