Recently, a team led by Researcher Gao Xubo from the School of Environmental Studies at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) published an academic paper titled "Hydrogeochemistry of High-Fluoride Groundwater in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas—Stable Isotopes, Pollution Source Apportionment, and Health Risk" in the international journal, Journal of Hazardous Materials. This study proposes effective groundwater management techniques, tools, and measures to mitigate fluorosis, offering significant theoretical and technical support for regional water supply safety.
Groundwater fluoride contamination is a globally recognized issue, where prolonged exposure to high levels of fluoride in groundwater can lead to fluorosis and non-carcinogenic diseases in affected communities. Over 260 million people across 25 countries suffer from fluoride-related diseases, such as dental and skeletal fluorosis, with more than 13 million people in Pakistan at risk of groundwater fluoride contamination. The semi-arid region of Gilgit in northern Pakistan is one of the endemic areas for fluoride poisoning. Analyzing the hydrogeochemical characteristics of fluoride in the groundwater of this area and exploring the mechanisms of fluoride migration and enrichment are crucial for the sustainable utilization of regional groundwater resources.
The paper systematically collected 96 samples of groundwater, surface water, and rocks from various sources. Using hydrogeochemistry, stable isotopes, Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF), and Principal Component Analysis-Multiple Linear Regression (PCAMLR) techniques, it comprehensively assessed the origins of high fluoride groundwater, pollution sources, and health risks in the semi-arid region of Gilgit, Pakistan. The study found that the fluoride levels in the region's groundwater severely exceed the safe drinking limits, with the main sources of high fluoride water including hydrogeological processes, mining activities, industrial production, and agricultural pollution. It suggests targeted remediation strategies addressing these four areas to tackle the health threats posed by high fluoride groundwater.
The first author of the paper is Abdul Rashid, a Pakistani PhD student from the class of 2019 at the university, with Researcher Gao Xubo as the co-corresponding author.
Related article link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389424006022?via%3Dihub
