Hydro-chemical Assessment of Coastal Groundwater Aquifers for Human Health Risk from Elevated Arsenic and Fluoride in West Bengal, India

The vulnerability of groundwater in the coastal regions in terms of As, F-, and NO3- exposure is growing rapidly. Hence, the present study focused on assessing groundwater quality, ecological richness, and HR in the coastal districts of West Bengal by applying field-based CD, GWQI, ERI, and HRI techniques. After assessing the GW vulnerability, it is stated that approximately 40-50 % area of the two selected coastal district's GW is poor to very poor in quality, the ecology of GW is threatened, and human health is faced serious risk for both dry and wet season. The Wilcox and USSL diagram verified that nearly 50 % GW aquifers of coastal district of West Bengal are not fit for irrigation and drinking. The findings of this study will be beneficial to manage and control ground-water vulnerability in the coastal regions for water scientists, policy makers, and researchers as well in sustainable way.