Source: TH
Context: India faces a significant groundwater contamination issue, with nitrate being a major concern alongside other pollutants like fluoride, arsenic, and uranium.
About Groundwater Contamination:
- What it is: Contamination of underground water sources due to dissolved pollutants from natural and human activities, affecting water quality and usability.
- Types of Contamination:
- Nitrate Contamination: From fertilizers like ammonium nitrate and urea, affecting oxygen-carrying capacity in blood and leading to algal blooms in water bodies.
- Other Contaminants:
- Fluoride: Leads to dental and skeletal fluorosis.
- Arsenic: Causes skin lesions, cancer, and other chronic health issues.
- Uranium: Linked to kidney toxicity and cancer.
- Iron and Ammonia: Affect water taste and usability.
- Criteria Standard of Measurement:
- Nitrate: Safe limit is 45 mg/l in groundwater.
- Fluoride: Permissible limit is 1.0 mg/l.
- Uranium: Acceptable levels are 30 ppb.
- Impacts:
- Health Risks: Conditions like methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome), kidney and liver damage, and chronic diseases.
- Environmental Effects: Eutrophication due to nitrate-induced algal blooms, harming aquatic ecosystems.
- Economic Consequences: Increased healthcare costs and loss of agricultural productivity.
- States with High Contamination:
- Nitrate: Rajasthan (49%), Karnataka (48%), Tamil Nadu (37%), and Madhya Pradesh (22.58%).
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