Spatial Variability
and Public Health Implications of Groundwater Fluoride in Jodhpur District, Rajasthan
Tanwar Priya, Prajapat Pooja, Arora Bhawana and Mishra Pallavi
Res. J. Chem. Environ.; Vol. 29(5); 66-76;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/295rjce066076; (2025)
Abstract
The availability of safe drinking water is a pressing global issue, particularly
for the 1.5 billion people who rely on groundwater. Fluoride contamination, a significant
problem, poses severe health risks such as kidney, brain and liver damage, as well
as skeletal fluorosis. This study evaluates water purity by analysing physicochemical
parameters in the rural areas surrounding the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, focusing
on fluoride pollution and the computation of the Water Quality Index (WQI). In 2022-2023,
ninety water samples were collected from various locations in the Bilara, Balesar
and Phalodi tehsils.
The results indicate that the physicochemical parameters did not meet the standards
set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), making them unsuitable for drinking
water. Additionally, nearly all the samples exceeded the permissible fluoride levels
established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and BIS for drinking water. The
highest WQI recorded was 444.30 in Phalodi and the maximum fluoride concentration
was 5.5 mg/L in Bilara. Furthermore, statistical analysis revealed a significant
linear correlation and a high correlation coefficient among various water quality
parameters. These findings underscore the urgent need for water quality improvement
measures in the studied areas to safeguard public health.
