Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis
Groundwater contamination is a significant global challenge, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where groundwater is a primary source for drinking and irrigation. This contamination is closely associated with human health risks, potentially leading to severe diseases and long-term health con...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Environmental Challenges |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010025000952 |
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| author | Musaab A.A. Mohammed Norbert P. Szabó Elamin D. Suliman Magboul M.S. Siddig Mohammed N.M. Hassan Péter Szűcs |
| author_facet | Musaab A.A. Mohammed Norbert P. Szabó Elamin D. Suliman Magboul M.S. Siddig Mohammed N.M. Hassan Péter Szűcs |
| author_sort | Musaab A.A. Mohammed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Groundwater contamination is a significant global challenge, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where groundwater is a primary source for drinking and irrigation. This contamination is closely associated with human health risks, potentially leading to severe diseases and long-term health consequences. In this study, the groundwater quality of the Nubian Aquifer System (NAS) in the Shendi area, Sudan, is assessed to evaluate health risks linked to nitrogen compounds (NO₂, NO₃, NH₃) and fluoride (F). The analysis integrates self-organizing maps (SOM), principal component analysis (PCA), and Monte Carlo-based health risk simulations. SOM analysis revealed distinct clustering patterns in groundwater samples, identifying three major hydrochemical trends. PCA indicated that elevated NO₃ concentrations were localized, primarily associated with agricultural runoff, while NO₂ and NH₃ reflected pollution from both agriculture and wastewater. High fluoride concentrations were linked to geogenic sources, particularly water-rock interactions with fluorine-bearing minerals. The Monte Carlo simulation assessed probabilistic health risks, revealing higher mean hazard quotients (HQs) and hazard index (HI) values for children compared to adults. Children’s mean HI of 1.06 significantly exceeds the safe threshold, indicating potential non-carcinogenic health hazards. Sobol sensitivity analysis identified the most influential parameters in shaping health risks, including average exposure time, body weight, and exposure duration, with strong parameter interactions amplifying these effects. Among contaminants, NO₃ and F contributed the most to cumulative HI values. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions, such as advanced water treatment, stricter pollution controls, and public health awareness programs to mitigate groundwater contamination and protect vulnerable populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-82becf1a956c4745ac2f38bf8ad2cd70 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2667-0100 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Challenges |
| spelling | doaj-art-82becf1a956c4745ac2f38bf8ad2cd702025-08-20T03:53:12ZengElsevierEnvironmental Challenges2667-01002025-09-012010117610.1016/j.envc.2025.101176Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysisMusaab A.A. Mohammed0Norbert P. Szabó1Elamin D. Suliman2Magboul M.S. Siddig3Mohammed N.M. Hassan4Péter Szűcs5Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Miskolc, 3515 Miskolc, Egyetemváros, Hungary; College of Petroleum Geology and Minerals, University of Bahri, Khartoum, Sudan; Corresponding author.Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Miskolc, 3515 Miskolc, Egyetemváros, HungaryFaculty of Minerals and Earth Sciences, Nile Valley University, Nile River State, SudanDepartment of Soil and Environment Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan; Department of Physical Geography, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, GermanyFaculty of Petroleum and Minerals, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, SudanFaculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Miskolc, 3515 Miskolc, Egyetemváros, HungaryGroundwater contamination is a significant global challenge, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where groundwater is a primary source for drinking and irrigation. This contamination is closely associated with human health risks, potentially leading to severe diseases and long-term health consequences. In this study, the groundwater quality of the Nubian Aquifer System (NAS) in the Shendi area, Sudan, is assessed to evaluate health risks linked to nitrogen compounds (NO₂, NO₃, NH₃) and fluoride (F). The analysis integrates self-organizing maps (SOM), principal component analysis (PCA), and Monte Carlo-based health risk simulations. SOM analysis revealed distinct clustering patterns in groundwater samples, identifying three major hydrochemical trends. PCA indicated that elevated NO₃ concentrations were localized, primarily associated with agricultural runoff, while NO₂ and NH₃ reflected pollution from both agriculture and wastewater. High fluoride concentrations were linked to geogenic sources, particularly water-rock interactions with fluorine-bearing minerals. The Monte Carlo simulation assessed probabilistic health risks, revealing higher mean hazard quotients (HQs) and hazard index (HI) values for children compared to adults. Children’s mean HI of 1.06 significantly exceeds the safe threshold, indicating potential non-carcinogenic health hazards. Sobol sensitivity analysis identified the most influential parameters in shaping health risks, including average exposure time, body weight, and exposure duration, with strong parameter interactions amplifying these effects. Among contaminants, NO₃ and F contributed the most to cumulative HI values. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions, such as advanced water treatment, stricter pollution controls, and public health awareness programs to mitigate groundwater contamination and protect vulnerable populations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010025000952Human healthSelf-organizing mapPrincipal componentsMonte CarloSobol analysisGroundwater quality |
| spellingShingle | Musaab A.A. Mohammed Norbert P. Szabó Elamin D. Suliman Magboul M.S. Siddig Mohammed N.M. Hassan Péter Szűcs Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis Environmental Challenges Human health Self-organizing map Principal components Monte Carlo Sobol analysis Groundwater quality |
| title | Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis |
| title_full | Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis |
| title_fullStr | Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis |
| title_short | Integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in Nubian Aquifer, Sudan: Combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis |
| title_sort | integrated assessment of human health risks from groundwater pollutants in nubian aquifer sudan combining source apportionment and probabilistic analysis |
| topic | Human health Self-organizing map Principal components Monte Carlo Sobol analysis Groundwater quality |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010025000952 |
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