Assessment of groundwater from an industrial coastal area of south India for human health risk from consumption and irrigation suitability

We assessed the groundwater quality in an industrial area (Tiruchendur Taluk) of Tamil Nadu state in coastal south India for human health risk from drinking as well as irrigation suitability by using the drinking water quality index (DWQI), irrigation factors (sodium adsorption ratio, sodium percentage, residual sodium carbonate and permeability index) and health hazard valuation (THQI- by consuming NO3− and F−). About 57% of the samples represented Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl−-SO42− facies and the anthropological unhygienic inputs elevated the salinity. Our results indicated that all the samples are unsuitable for drinking (DWQI up to 1063) and almost half of them are also unsuitable for irrigation due to sodium risk. Total hazard quotient index (THQI; HQ nitrate and HQ fluoride) suggested the order of health risk as children > women > men with about 64%, 70% and 79% of the samples posing non-carcinogenic risks for men, women and children, respectively. Different mitigation measures and sustainable development should be enforced to minimize the health issues from contamination caused by industries, fertilizers in agro-fields and natural processes and reduce the sodium dominance in groundwater. The spatial distribution maps of this study could also be helpful in organization of proper treatment plans to provide safe and hygienic groundwater to the community. [Display omitted] •Three-dimensional approach (drinking water quality, irrigation and human health) of groundwater evaluation from south India.•DWQI based unsuitability of all samples for drinking.•Almost half of the samples are inappropriate for irrigation due to sodium risk.•HQ fluoride and HQ nitrate-based estimation of the low-risk range violation for men, women and children.