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The Singrauli region is known for fluoride contamination and its effect on human population. In this work the possible sources of fluoride contamination in Rihand reservoir water is constrained. They include slurry water, fly ash and coal samples of various thermal power plants, coal seams and granites of the region. Petrographic study depicted the presence of fluoride bearing minerals - flour apatite in pink granite. Preliminary scanning electron microscope studies revealed presence of fluorine peak in coal samples. The chemical analysis confirmed the presence of fluoride in fly ash (12.6 mg/kg), drain water (5.34 mg/l), soil (6.1 mg/kg), coal (3.1 mg/kg). They confirmed the source of fluoride from coal of thermal power plant which utilized coal from Singrauli coal seam (1.6 mg/kg). Further the Rihand reservoir water is also enriched by fluoride contaminant (up to 4.7 mg/l). This contaminates groundwater of the area as well. The contaminated water used for drinking and agriculture affects health of inhabitants in the area. It is concluded that the main source of fluoride contamination in the study area is due to coal burnt in thermal power plant and pink granite formation of the area, both anthropogenic and geogenic sources are implied.

Coal mining and coal combustion in thermal power plants (TPPs) are the major anthropogenic sources of arsenic (As) contamination in many different industrial regions. In this study of industrial regions of West Bengal and Singrauli, it is observed that there is an anthropogenic contribution to the contamination from As-bearing coal. Up to 14.53 mg/kg of As is obtained in coal of West Bengal which also has very high average Fe concentration (16,095 mg/kg) along with high concentration of Cu, Mn and Hg. Similar observations are also found in Singrauli Industrial Region where 3.14 mg/kg of As with very high concentration of Fe 43,867 mg/kg along with high Cu, Mn and Hg concentration is found in coal samples. This low-grade bituminous coal contains arsenopyrite as observed by SEM–EDX. Arsenopyrite is converted to arsenolite upon combustion in these TPPs as observed in XRD. The fly ash has average As concentration of 1.53 mg/kg for West Bengal and 2.38 mg/kg for Singrauli Industrial Region and high concentration of toxic elements. The soil near these TPPs and mining areas is enriched in As, Fe, Hg, Cu and Mn. Not only As but high concentrations of Fe, Hg, Mn are also observed from analysis of water which relates to the anthropogenic inputs. The dissolution of arsenolite in reducing environments caused by periodic flooding releases As into water. Hence, the As contamination in the study area also has anthropogenic origin from coal consumption in TPPs.

High Arsenic (As) concentrations have been reported in superficial water in the Yamuna flood plains (YFP), Delhi, which is being extensively used for agriculture. The concentration of As in some common vegetables such as Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), Abelmoschus esculentus (lady’s finger), Solanum melongena (brinjal), Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd), Raphanus sativus (radish), Zea mays (corn), and Luffa acutangula (ridge gourd) has been studied in this work. The range of As concentrations (dry weight) varies from 0.6 to 2.52 mg/kg with the highest accumulation of 2.52 mg/kg in radish followed by tomato (2.36 mg/kg). The order of As concentration in the decreasing order is R. sativus > S. lycopersicum > Z. mays > L. acutangula > L. siceraria > S. melongena > A. esculentus. Thus, As accumulation is the highest in roots and the lowest in least juicy fruits. The daily dietary intake of As through the consumption of various vegetables was also calculated. Though the mean As concentration was the highest in radish (2.52 mg/kg) but the highest amount of As is being consumed through tomato (0.383 mg/day), which is nearly three times the World Health Organization’s provisional maximum tolerable daily intake limit of 0.126 mg/day for a 60 kg person. High concentration of As in vegetables grown in YFP, Delhi is being reported here. This high contamination is primarily due to the presence of As in irrigation water having its source from coal-based thermal power plants in the vicinity of the area. If not checked properly, it will pose a serious health risk to people living in these densely populated areas surrounding YFP.