Assessment of Heavy Metal Exposure on Human Health in Kanpur City, India

Groundwater aquifers are globally recognized as the most abundant sources of drinking water. This study aims to assess the quality of groundwater in Kanpur City, Uttar Pradesh, India. It specifically examines contamination due to heavy metal and risks to human health because of it, within this geogenic region. Concentrations of trace metals (Zn, Mn, Cr, As, Fe) in groundwater were measured at 25 locations in 2022. Further, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Metal Pollution Index (MPI), and human health risk assessment were used to assess the groundwater quality. The study reveals elevated concentrations of trace metals Fe (0.32 ± 0.29) mg/l, As (0.03 ± 0.02) mg/l, Mn (0.06 ± 0.06) mg/l and Cr (0.16 ± 0.06) mg/l, except for Zn (0.20 ± 0.21) mg/l, surpassing permissible limits. The findings from PCA and HCA showed that industrial effluents, such as those from the leather tanning, textile, paint, chemicals and fertilizer industries, were significant sources of heavy metals in the study area. The groundwater health risk assessment revealed non-carcinogenic health effects resulting from contamination from all trace metals, while showing carcinogenic health impacts specifically from As and Cr. Total hazard index values in groundwater exceeded 1 indicated major non-carcinogenic risks for adults and children. Additionally, the total carcinogenic risk values for Jajmau and Nauriyakhera regions indicated moderate risks to both the populations. The conclusions of this study can contribute to the establishment of appropriate health safety management policies to the impacted population.