Groundwater Contamination and its Impact on Health and Dentition in Malir District Pakistan

Abstract

 Concern over groundwater pollution in Pakistan's Malir District is developing as a result of the area's fast industrialization and urbanization. Hazardous amounts of pollutants, such as microbiological pathogens and heavy metals, have been found; these pollutants pose serious health hazards, such as gastrointestinal disorders and dental fluorosis, which can result in serious dental issues.  We took twenty samples from the Right Bank (RB) and twenty from the Left Bank (LB) of the Malir River, drawing from wells that ranged in depth from twelve to three hundred feet, to examine the quality of the groundwater. Several physical characteristics were measured for these samples: pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), hardness, alkalinity, salinity, specific gravity, temperature, taste, color, and odor. Additionally, we examined chemical components such as fluoride (F⁻), nitrate (NO₃⁻), bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻), calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), sodium (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺), and chloride (Cl⁻). We also took measurements of iron levels and looked for fecal coliforms. According to our research, both banks' groundwater salinities are noticeably high, with the Right Bank exhibiting a mean TDS of 8983 mg/L, which is higher than the Left Bank's mean TDS of 3163 mg/L.  It was found that the groundwater on both banks of the Malir River was polluted.Specifically, the right bank (RB) had higher levels of pollution than the left bank (LB). After the water was analyzed, it was discovered that harmful bacteria were present in around half of the samples from RB and slightly more than half from LB. This suggests that the groundwater in this vicinity has probably been contaminated by sewage.