Quantification and assessment of health risk due to ingestion of uranium in groundwater of Jammu district, Jammu and Kashmir, India

The uranium content in groundwater being used for drinking purposes in Jammu district, Jammu & Kashmir, India has been measured by using LED fluorimetric technique to determine associated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk for inhabitants of this area. Uranium concentration and age dependent ingestion dose varied from 0.18 to 20.81 µg l^-1 and 0.16 to 42.46 µSv year^-1, being well within the recommended limits suggested by different health agencies of the world. The physico-chemical properties (TDS, EC and pH) have also been measured and correlated with obtained uranium concentration. Hence, the groundwater can be considered to be safe for consumption by public. (author)