Impact of reverse osmosis treated water on human health and its disposed concentrate on groundwater regime in Muktsar District of Southwest Punjab India

Abstract

The present research broadly investigated the quality of feedwater, treated water and concentrate (reject) water of the RO systems operational in the Muktsar District of southwest Punjab and health risk assessment with nitrate and fluoride in feed and treated water along with the minerals deficiency due to consumption of RO treated water. The analytical results of the study revealed that the feedwater (groundwater) of the area is not fit direct human consumption due to elevated level of health risk causing contaminates whereas waterworks supply water and treated water (RO systems which are using groundwater as a feedwater source) were fit for human consumption. Moreover, the treated water from RO systems which are using waterworks water as a feedwater source can cause minerals deficiency if consumed over long period. The main factors influencing the hydrogeochemical composition of the feedwater (groundwater) were weathering of minerals and anthropogenic inputs. The deterministic and probabilistic approach to human health risk assessment reveals that infants and children were more exposed to nitrate and fluoride risk compared to adults due to consumption of feedwater (groundwater).The operational RO systems in the study area showed excellent performance for majority of ions except for F- and K- due to poor maintenance of RO. Lack of financial assistance, technical capacity, poor maintenance practices, and unplanned RO concentrate discharge were the key issues related to RO system operation and management, which could lead to numerous environmental and health problems in the future. newline