Human health risk assessment and PAHs in a stretch of river Ganges near Kanpur.

The presence of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was measured in a small stretch of river Ganges in Kanpur, using high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with photodiode array detector (HPLC/PDA). Non-carcinogenic risk on human health was calculated in the form of hazardous index. Carcinogenic risk was calculated as chronic daily intake and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) with the help of monitored PAHs in river water. Due to non-availability of reference dose (RfD) values for all the 13 PAHs, the combined hazardous index for three PAHs was calculated. These values in winter, pre-monsoon, and post-monsoon period varied from 6.37 × 10 (Bithoor) to 1.12 × 10 (Jajmau), 2.89 × 10 (Bithoor) to 8.52 × 10 (Annandeshwar Temple), and 1.80 × 10 (Massacre Ghat) to 6.67 × 10 (Jajmau), respectively. In this study, the carcinogenic risk due to PAHs was calculated in the form of ILCR. ILCR due to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) varied from 1.39 × 10 (Massacre Ghat) to 1.45 × 10 (Jajmau). ILCR was also calculated with the help of BaP for five age groups of people (adults, teenagers, children, toddlers, and infants). The outcome of the study indicates that there is a need to control pollution of the river water to maintain its quality. Continuous discharge of PAHs into the river poses both human health risk and ecological risk.