Toxicity and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface water, sediments and groundwater vulnerability in Damodar River Basin

Ingestion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminated water has potential human-health and ecological consequences. A comprehensive investigation of PAHs' occurrence and distribution in the surface water and sediment samples of the Damodar River Basin was conducted using the Agilent 7890B Gas Chromatograph (GC-FID) coupled with 5977A Mass Spectrometry. The results showed that concentrations of the individual PAHs in surface water and sediments ranged from ND to 36 mu g/L and ND to 582 ng/g with the highest detected levels of 3-ring PAH Acenapthylene (ACY) and 4-ring PAH Benzo(a)Anthracene (BaA) with a mean concentration of 6.12 +/- 6.06 mu g/L and 2.79 +/- 4.5 mu g/L, respectively. The concentration of 4-ring PAHs such as Fluoranthene (Flur), Pyrene (Pye), Benzo(a)Anthracene (BaA), and Chrysene (Chry) in sediment samples has mean levels of 43 +/- 41 ng/g, 32 +/- 29 ng/g, 52 +/- 50 ng/g, and 83 +/- 105 ng/g, respectively. The 4-ring PAH Chry was frequently detected in all sediment samples, while the 3-ring PAH ACY was dominant in surface water samples. The principal component analysis (PCA) and diagnostic ratios suggested that the PAHs contamination in surface water was due to petrogenic and fuel combustion. In sediments, PAHs' primary sources were coal burning, fuel combustion, petrogenic, and pyrolysis. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for children and adults due to ingestion of surface water ranged from ND to 4.25 x 10(-5) and ND to 7.21 x 10(-5), respectively. In contrast, the Risk index (RI) values ranged from 4.3 x 10(-5) and 7.3 x 10(-5). For sediment samples, higher toxic equivalent quotient (TEQ = 1865 ng/kg) and mutagenic equivalent quotient (MEQ = 1665 ng/kg) for eight carcinogenic PAHs indicate extremely high toxicity. Improper management of mine drainage, frequent flooding of open cast mines, and hydraulic connection between the surface water, sediments, and groundwater significantly deteriorated overall water quality in the DRB.

Automated summary

The comprehensive investigation of PAHs in surface water and sediment samples of the Damodar River Basin revealed the presence of 3-ring and 4-ring PAHs, primarily originating from anthropogenic activities such as petrogenic and fuel combustion. The contamination in surface water was attributed to petrogenic and fuel combustion sources while sediments showed contribution from coal burning, fuel combustion, petrogenic, and pyrolysis. The concentrations of PAHs indicated potential health and ecological risks associated with improper management practices in the area.