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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/FWSH/28
Distribution, prevalence and risk assessment of barium in groundwater of South
Punjab Pakistan
Iqra Naeem, Muhammad Shahid
1 Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari- Campus,
61100 Pakistan

Correspondence: muhammadshahid@ciitvehari.edu.pk
Abstract
This study was designed to estimate possible barium (Ba) contamination of drinking/ground
water in South-Punjab, Pakistan. Drinking water samples (n= 486) were collected from 17
tehsils of South Punjab (Arifwala, Pakpattan, Chichawatni, Kabirwala, Tibba Sultanpur,
Kehror Pakka, Jahaniyan, Chishtian, Bahawalnagar, Haroonabad, Mian Channu, Minchinabad,
Khanewal, Lodhran, Vehari, Mailsi, and Burewala). In addition to Ba, water samples were also
analyzed for pH, electric conductivity, and total dissolved solids. Overall, the water samples
were within the WHO guidelines for drinking water regarding physicochemical variables.
However, majority of the samples showed Ba content higher than the proposed EPA (2 mg/L)
and WHO (0.7 mg/L) limit value of Ba in drinking water. The concentration of Ba in water
samples was 0.7- 16720 mg/L in water samples of South-Punjab. Due to high Ba concentration
in water samples, the risk indices exhibited possible non-carcinogenic risk (HQ > 1.0) from the
consumption of Ba-contaminated water in South-Punjab. This study, therefore, calls some sort
of actions to strictly monitor the water quality of the studied area to minimize the potential
health risks associated from Ba-contaminated water. There is limited data available regarding
Ba contents in groundwater of Pakistan and needs further consideration.

Keywords: barium; contamination

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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