Trace elements in water in the Indo-Gangetic Valley

Elemental composition of water is of great importance as it is the prime source of the trace elements essential for the growth of living organisms. It has been known from early times that water from hot springs and other natural sources has beneficial effects on human health. There are also regional mythical beliefs that water from these source has curative poperties. As part of a systematic analysis of trace elements in water and their correlation to human health, samples from hot springs and other sources in the Indo-Gangetic Valley have been analyzed by the PIXE method. A proton beam accelerated by a 2 MV van de Graaff and diffussed by passing through a Ni foil is utilized for this purpose. The river water from the Ganges, which provides the main source of drinking water in this region, has been analyzed using small drops of water dried on an thin formvar backing. The reliabiltiy and reproducibility of the method has been tested and established. The trace elemental contents in water from the above-mentioned sources are compared with those of river water. (orig.)