Groundwater Arsenic Contamination and Human Health Risks: A Case Study from the Tongon Gold Mining Area, Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

Human exposure to arsenic (As) is a worldwide concern due to its toxicity, persistence and non-biodegradability. This exposure can cause cancer and neurological disorders. This study focused on assessing human health risks from arsenic in groundwater near Tongon industrial mining area. The approach consisted firstly to determine total As concentrations in groundwater. Next, groundwater quality was ascertained through water quality index. Finally, the health risks due to As were assessed using carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks indices. The sampling was carried out in five wells from May 2023 to July 2023. The results showed that total concentrations of As in the majority wells (14.46 - 32.04 µg/L) are above its WHO guideline value (10 µg/L). Water quality index values showed good water quality for the wells P2 and P5. While, waters from wells P1, P3 and P4 are poor quality. The non-carcinogenic indices indicated that children are the most exposed to adverse effects through the consumption of wells water around Tongon mining area. The total carcinogenic risk revealated that children and adults can develop cancer. Therefore, it is important to treat wells waters before using for domestic purposes.