Human health risk assessment associated with heavy metals in drinking shallow groundwater wells at Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand

Abstract

Most local people in an agricultural area of Ubon Ratchathani province generally consume groundwater from their farm wells that may cause an adverse health effects from contamination of heavy metals. This study aimed to assess human health risk related to heavy metals contamination in shallow groundwater wells at Ubon Ratchathani province. Water samples were randomly collected from 12 wells in wet and dry season and were quantified heavy metal concentrations by Inductive Coupled Plasma Spectrometry – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The exposure questionnaires were completed by face-to-face interviewing with 100 local people. The result showed that contaminated heavy metals (i.e., arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, lead, nickel, and zinc) were found in this agricultural area. Non-carcinogenic risk characterization showed that contaminations of cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, lead, and nickel were not exceed an acceptable risk level (HQ<1) while arsenic and zinc were exceed an acceptable risk level (HQ>1) in some locations of this area. For carcinogenic risk characterization, the local people in some locations of this area may be getting adverse health effects related to cancer from arsenic contamination more than 1 person in a million. This study suggested that local people should be more concerned about shallow groundwater drinking in this area regarding to avoid adverse health effects.