Seasonal Variations and Health Risk Assessment of Trace Elements in Seti River Basin, Gandaki Province, Nepal

Ramesh Raj Pant; Kiran Bishwakarma; Jharana Nepal; Sudip Paudel; Mohan Bahadur Chand; Faizan Ur Rehman Qaisar; Khadka Bahadur Pal; Lal B Thapa; Guanxing Wang

doi:10.1007/s00128-021-03288-3

Seasonal Variations and Health Risk Assessment of Trace Elements in Seti River Basin, Gandaki Province, Nepal

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2021 Sep;107(3):441-448. doi: 10.1007/s00128-021-03288-3. Epub 2021 Jun 19.

Authors

Ramesh Raj Pant¹, Kiran Bishwakarma^{2

3}, Jharana Nepal¹, Sudip Paudel¹, Mohan Bahadur Chand⁴, Faizan Ur Rehman Qaisar⁵, Khadka Bahadur Pal⁶, Lal B Thapa⁷, Guanxing Wang⁸

Affiliations

¹ Central Department of Environmental Science, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.
² Environment Change and Multi-sphere Interaction Team, State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System Science, Institute of Tibet Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. kiranghatani2019@itpcas.ac.cn.
³ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. kiranghatani2019@itpcas.ac.cn.
⁴ Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0810, Japan.
⁵ Department of Earth Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
⁷ Central Department of Botany, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.
⁸ Environment Change and Multi-sphere Interaction Team, State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System Science, Institute of Tibet Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.

PMID: 34148097
DOI: 10.1007/s00128-021-03288-3

Abstract

To explore the seasonal variability and associated health risks of dissolved trace elements (TEs), a total of 45 water samples (15 samples in each season) were collected from the Seti River Basin during pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons. A total of 15 TEs were analysed and the results revealed that Arsenic (As), Chromium (Cr), and Nickel (Ni) were primarily controlled by lithogenic sources, whereas, Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Cesium (Cs), Cupper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn) were derived from both anthropic and geogenic sources. Additionally, the concentration of Zn was markedly high, especially during the post-monsoon season nearby the landfill site, indicating the anthropic signatures. The hazard index and cancer index were found to be < 1.00 and 10^-6-10^-4, respectively indicating minimum health impacts. The water quality index was < 50 throughout the sampling periods, with better water quality during the monsoon. This study could help to formulate the necessary policies for the sustainability of the Himalayan River Basins.

Keywords: Health risk assessment; Himalayan River Basin; Seasonal variations; Trace elements; Water quality index.

MeSH terms

Environmental Monitoring
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Nepal
Risk Assessment
Rivers
Seasons
Trace Elements* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Trace Elements
Water Pollutants, Chemical