Chemistry of Groundwater and their Adverse Effects on Human Health: A Review

Water is an essential natural resource for sustaining life and environment which we have always thought to be available in abundance and free gift of nature. Groundwater is the major source for drinking and domestic purposes mboth rural andurban areas. Besides, it is an important source for both agriculture and industrial sectors. Ithas been considered as a dependable source of uncontaminated water. More than 90% of the rural population uses groundwater for domestic purposes. However, a large population in India still live in absolute poverty in both urban and rural areas, and often lack access to clean drinking water and baste sanitation, nearly half the population is illiterate, not at all aware of the water borne diseases affecting their health. Groundwater in India is at risk of contamination due to rapid and unplanned urbanization, industrialization and indiscriminate disposal of domestic, industrial, agricultural and mining wastes. Once the groundwater is contaminated, its quality cannot be restored by stopping the pollutants from the source. Major problems are being faced by the country due to the presence of excess fluoride, sulphate, chloride, nitrate, total hardness and sodium in groundwater in certain parts of the country. About 17 Indian states have been affected by problems of fluorosis in 2002, which has now been extended to more than 20 states, indicating that endemic fluorosis has emerged as one of the most alarming public health problems in the country. Nitrate concentrations were also reported from several areas in Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan. High concentration of nitrate in groundwater causes a number of health disorders, viz. methemoglobinemia, gastric cancer goiter, birth malformations and hypertension etc. The paper highlight is brief about the adverse effect on human health due to rise of the concentration of major elements.