Hyderabad, Sept. 15 -- A recent study has flagged elevated levels of nitrate and fluoride in Hyderabad's groundwater, potentially posing non-carcinogenic health risks to children, like blood disorders, birth defects, and poor bone quality.

A total of 44 groundwater samples from the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons of 2023 were analysed, revealing nitrate exceeding the permissible drinking-water limit of 45 mg/L in 36 per cent of samples taken before the monsoon and 40 per cent of samples taken after the monsoon, The New Indian Express reported.

The samples were found to have 3 to 230 mg/L of nitrate before the monsoon and 5 to 797 mg/L afterwards. Higher concentrations were observed mainly in southwestern and central areas.

The con...