Assessment of Groundwater Quality and Nitrate Related Risks to Human Health: A Case of Angads Plain, Morocco

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2024-12, Vol.235 (12), p.787, Article 787
• Main Authors: Boukich, Oualid, Ben-tahar, Rihab, Gharibi, Elkhadir, El guerrouj, Bouchra, Smiri, Youssef
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anions; Aquifers; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Calcium carbonate; Calcium ions; Carcinogens; Cations; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Consumption; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Groundwater; Groundwater pollution; Groundwater quality; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Hydrogeology; Magnesium; Nitrates; Risk assessment; Soil Science & Conservation; Water analysis; Water consumption; Water quality; Water quality assessments; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Water sampling
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-024-07605-4

This study aims to assess groundwater quality and the human health risks associated with nitrate contamination using a human health risk assessment model. 45 groundwater samples were collected in 2016 and 2023 in the Angads aquifer. According to the findings, the groundwater was brackish (TDS > 1000 mg/L), extremely hard (TH > 450 mg/L CaCO 3 ), and contained ions in the sequence Na +  > Ca 2+  > Mg 2+  > K +  > NH 4 + for cations, and Cl −  > HCO 3 −  > SO 4 2−  > NO 3 − for anions. The TH-TDS graph and the groundwater quality index (GWQI) show that the majority of samples are unfit for consumption. Based on NO 3 − concentrations most often observed in the south of the research area, where many activities are likely to be sources of nitrates, the human health risk assessment reveals high non-carcinogenic risks for people living in the region, particularly for infants (71.1% on 2016 and 93.3% on 2023). Consumption of groundwater contaminated with nitrates over a long period could present a potential risk to human health.