Groundwater hydrochemistry of a sugarcane cultivation belt in parts of Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Chemical characteristics of groundwater and assessment of groundwater quality in Varaha River Basin, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Study on chemical characteristics of groundwater and impacts of groundwater quality on human health, plant growth, and industrial sector is essential to control and improve the water quality in every part of the country. The area of the Varaha River Basin is chosen for the present study, where the Precambrian Eastern Ghats underlain the Recent sediments. Groundwater quality is of mostly brackish and very hard, caused by the sources of geogenic, anthropogenic, and marine origin. The resulting groundwater is characterized by Na(+) > Mg(2+) > Ca(2+) : [Formula: see text] > Cl(-) > [Formula: see text], Na(+) > Mg(2+) > Ca(2+) : [Formula: see text] > Cl(-) > [Formula: see text] > [Formula: see text], Na(+) > Mg(2+) > Ca(2+) : [Formula: see text] > Cl(-), and Na(+) > Mg(2+) > Ca(2+) : Cl(-) > [Formula: see text] > [Formula: see text] facies, following the topographical and water flow-path conditions. The genetic geochemical evolution of groundwater ([Formula: see text] and Cl(-)-[Formula: see text] types under major group of [Formula: see text]) and the hydrogeochemical signatures (Na(+)/Cl(-), >1 and [Formula: see text]/Cl(-), <1) indicate that the groundwater is of originally fresh quality, but is subsequently modified to brackish by the influences of anthropogenic and marine sources, which also supported by the statistical analysis. The concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), TH, Mg(2+), Na(+), K(+), [Formula: see text], Cl(-), [Formula: see text], and F(-) are above the recommended limits prescribed for drinking water in many locations. The quality of groundwater is of mostly moderate in comparison with the salinity hazard versus sodium hazard, the total salt concentration versus percent sodium, the residual sodium carbonate, and the magnesium hazard, but is of mostly suitable with respect to the permeability index for irrigation. The higher concentrations of TDS, TH, [Formula: see text], Cl(-), and [Formula: see text] in the groundwater cause the undesirable effects of incrustation and corrosion in many locations. Appropriate management measures are, therefore, suggested to improve the groundwater quality.

Assessment of hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in parts of Hindon-Yamuna interfluve region, Baghpat District, western Uttar Pradesh

The present study has been carried out to assess groundwater quality in parts of Hindon-Yamuna interfluve region of western Uttar Pradesh. Fifty-five groundwater samples were collected from hand pumps in post-monsoon 2005 and pre-monsoon 2006 period, respectively, covering an area of about 1,345 km(2). Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater such as electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solid, Na, K, Ca, Mg, HCO(3), Cl, and SO(4) were determined. Concentration of the chemical constituents in groundwater of the study area varies spatially and temporarily. Interpretation of analytical data of major ion chemistry helps to identify three chemical types of groundwater i.e. 'mixed', 'mixed bicarbonate' and 'alkali bicarbonate' types. The species likely to occur in groundwater of the study area are Ca-HCO(3), Mg-HCO(3), Ca-SO(4), Na-Cl, Na-SO(4), Na-HCO(3), K-Cl, and some other possible species of K, depending on its abundance. The groundwater of the study area comes under the category of moderately hard to very hard, mildly acidic to slightly alkaline in nature. There is anomalously high concentration of major ions, particularly, Na, K, SO(4), and Cl. High SO(4) and K values may be related to anthropogenic influences, rather than through some natural process. Sodium along with Cl may be added to the system through sewage pollution and leachate percolation.

Hydrogeochemistry for the assessment of groundwater quality in Varanasi: a fast-urbanizing center in Uttar Pradesh, India

The hydrogeochemical parameters for groundwater samples of the Varanasi area, a fast-urbanizing region in India, were studied to evaluate the major ion chemistry, weathering and solute acquisition processes controlling water composition, and suitability of water quality for domestic and irrigation uses. Sixty-eight groundwater samples were collected randomly from dug wells and hand pumps in the urban Varanasi area and analyzed for various chemical parameters. Geologically, the study area comprises Quaternary alluvium made up of an alternating succession of clay, silty clay, and sand deposits. The Total dissolved solids classification reveals that except two locations, the groundwater samples are desirable for drinking, and all are useful for irrigation purposes. The cationic and anionic concentrations indicated that the majority of the groundwater samples belong to the order of Na>Ca>Mg>K and HCO3>Cl>SO4 types, respectively. Geochemical classification of groundwater based on the Chadha rectangular diagram shows that the majority (81%) of groundwater samples belong to the calcium-bicarbonate type. The HCO3/(HCO3+SO4) ratio (0.87) indicates mostly carbonic acid weathering process due to presence of kankar carbonate mixed with clay/fine sand. The high nitrate concentration (>45 mg/l) of about 18% of the groundwater samples may be due to the local domestic sewage, leakage of septic tanks, and improper management of sanitary landfills. In general, the calculated values of sodium adsorption ratio, percent sodium, residual sodium carbonate, and permeability index indicate good to permissible use of water for irrigation, and only a few locations demand remedial measures for better crop yields.

Evaluation of the seasonal variation on the geochemical parameters and quality assessment of the groundwater in the proximity of River Cooum, Chennai, India

The seasonal variations of the chemical budget of ions were determined from the hydrochemical investigation of the groundwater. Though the effect of monsoon does not change the order of abundance of cations, but it does change the concentration of various ions and it is found that there was a considerable change in the case of all major ions. The unique characteristic of the ground water is the linear relationship among the principal ions. Hydrochemical characteristics of ions in the groundwater were studied using 1:1 equiline diagrams. The nature of the water samples were determined using the piper diagram. The correlation studies and R-mode factor analysis were carried out on the various groundwater parameters. The study of factor scores reveals the extent of influence of each factors on the overall water chemistry at each sampling stations. The trace metal concentration in the water was determined. The quality of the groundwater in the study area has been assessed using Percent sodium, SAR and Wilcox diagrams. The groundwater results of the premonsoon shows the dominance of excessive evaporation, silicate weathering and anthropogenic activities whereas in postmonsoon, dilution predominates over that of other factors.