Heavy metal contamination from textile wastewater and its health impacts: a case study from West Bengal with sustainable remediation approaches

The presence of heavy metals in the environment is a common risk factor for a number of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders worldwide. We oversaw an inquiry in the Calcutta textile industry area from 2022 to 2023, which has been engaged in textile production for over a century. We investigated the impact of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Zn) on soil, fruit, and other agro-samples as well as their toxicity in the waste of small-scale BD units. "The investigation was sparked by the gastrointestinal illnesses that the local population was suffering. In that area and its hinterland, people utilize surface water and eat everyday agro-products that are 50 times less rich in zinc than predicted and contain 2 to 40 times more Pb, Cd, and Ni than the WHO/FAO (2022) standard limit. The region's soil tested positive for potentially harmful metals, indicating that there may be an epidemiological risk of cancer, ulcers, and gastrointestinal ailments. This finding was also verified by statistical analysis and 2 years of observations/surveys with residents. The remediation processes save public health, millions of liter of groundwater and the ecology of the earth at large.