Yadav Shailesh Kumar, Baruah Bidyutjyoti, Dutta Kuldeep, Rai Krity, Rai Anirud, Rajak Rajeev, Gupta Aparna, Misra Anil Kumar, Wanjari Nishchal, Ranjan Rakesh Kumar
DST's Centre of Excellence, Water Resources, Cryosphere, and Climate Change Studies, Sikkim University, Sikkim, 737102, India.
Department of Geology, Sikkim University, Sikkim, 737102, India.
Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Feb 13;197(3):286. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13745-9.
Sikkim, located in the Eastern Himalayas, is a prominent tourist destination. The state exhibits a diverse climatic range spanning from subtropical to alpine zones. Springs and glacier-fed rivers serve as the primary water sources for both residents and tourists. Furthermore, rapid urbanization, climate change, altered precipitation patterns and frequent landslides have significantly stressed these water sources, especially in the lower subtropical regions, resulting in declining water quality. This study aimed to assess heavy metal contamination in surface water, considering both natural and anthropogenic sources, and its impact on different population groups. A total of 155 water samples were collected from households, rivers, springs and hot springs across pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Heavy metals (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were analyzed, and water quality was assessed using various water pollution indices. The findings revealed that the water is unsuitable for consumption without treatment. A novel approach, Monte Carlo simulation, was employed in health risk assessment, incorporating sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. This method provided greater accuracy in evaluating both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, with the results indicating moderate to high cancer risks through ingestion and dermal absorption. It is strongly recommended that treated water be used for drinking to mitigate exposure to heavy metal contamination in the region.
锡金位于东喜马拉雅山脉，是一个著名的旅游胜地。该邦气候多样，涵盖从亚热带到高山地带。泉水和冰川补给的河流是居民和游客的主要水源。此外，快速的城市化、气候变化、降水模式改变以及频繁的山体滑坡给这些水源带来了巨大压力，尤其是在亚热带较低地区，导致水质下降。本研究旨在评估地表水的重金属污染情况，综合考虑自然和人为来源，以及其对不同人群的影响。在季风来临前、季风期间和季风过后，共从家庭、河流、泉水和温泉采集了155份水样。对重金属（铝、砷、镉、钴、铬、铜、汞、铁、锰、镍、铅和锌）进行了分析，并使用各种水污染指数评估了水质。研究结果表明，未经处理的水不适于饮用。在健康风险评估中采用了一种新方法——蒙特卡洛模拟，并纳入了敏感性和不确定性分析。该方法在评估致癌和非致癌风险方面提供了更高的准确性，结果表明通过摄入和皮肤吸收存在中度至高癌症风险。强烈建议使用经过处理的水饮用，以减轻该地区重金属污染的暴露。
