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The Hindon River is the main tributary of river Yamuna and it is a significant source of surface water, which flows through the major cities of western Uttar Pradesh, India. The indiscriminate development of industries and urbanization along river basin coupled with rapid population growths contribute various amounts of pollutant in the river. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the spatial–temporal variability of river water quality (seventeen physicochemical parameters and eight heavy metals) during pre- and post-monsoon seasons for 5 years data at 19 sampling sites along the river stretch. Indices associated with water quality and heavy metals were computed to scale the accurate state of risk associated to its use for drinking and irrigation. During the pre- and post-monsoon seasons, only four sites were found having safe water quality index (WQI) values. The mean heavy metal concentrations are found in order of Zn > Fe > Pb > Cu > Cr > Cd > Ni > Mn. Considering the spatial and temporal distribution, the study benchmarked the water quality of Hindon River for priority attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil degradation with metal pollution was assessed in polluted river water-irrigated soils. Human health risk from ingestion of metal by way of eating of edible portion of plants, raised on these soils, was predicted based on the free ion activity in contaminated soils followed by their movement to food-chain of human, using solubility-free ion activity model (FIAM). Soil quality index (SQI) was found to be lowest (PCA-SQI = 0.28) in river water-irrigated soils collected from Nithari and Barnawa village of Uttar Pradesh, India. Degree of soil health degradation due to metal accumulation as indicated by PCA-SQI follows the order: Nithari = Barnawa > Makreda > Rewari > Parsi > Kinauni. Plants grown on soils irrigated with river water showed higher accumulation of metals like zinc, copper, nickel, lead, and cadmium compared to plants raised on tube well-irrigated soils. Variation in metal content in plants grown in river as well tube well-irrigated soils could be successfully predicted by solubility-free ion activity model. Suitability of crops (rice grain, spinach, carrot, cucumber, pumpkin) as raised on river water-irrigated soils for human consumption was expressed in terms of hazard quotient, which were well within the safe limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]