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Lithological and hydrochemical controls on distribution and speciation of uranium in groundwaters of hard-rock granitic aquifers of Madurai District, Tamil Nadu (India)

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Abstract

Uranium is a radioactive element normally present in hexavalent form as U(VI) in solution and elevated levels in drinking water cause health hazards. Representative groundwater samples were collected from different litho-units in this region and were analyzed for total U and major and minor ions. Results indicate that the highest U concentration (113 µg l−1) was found in granitic terrains of this region and about 10 % of the samples exceed the permissible limit for drinking water. Among different species of U in aqueous media, carbonate complexes [UO2(CO3) 2−2 ] are found to be dominant. Groundwater with higher U has higher pCO2 values, indicating weathering by bicarbonate ions resulting in preferential mobilization of U in groundwater. The major minerals uraninite and coffinite were found to be supersaturated and are likely to control the distribution of U in the study area. Nature of U in groundwater, the effects of lithology on hydrochemistry and factors controlling its distribution in hard rock aquifers of Madurai district are highlighted in this paper.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their sincere thanks to University Grants Commission (UGC), India, for providing the necessary financial support to this research project with wide reference to UGC Letter No. F: 39-143/2010 (SR) dated December 27, 2010.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, 608002, India

    C. Thivya, S. Chidambaram, R. Thilagavathi, V. S. Adithya & C. Singaraja

  2. Isotope Production and Applications Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India

    Tirumalesh Keesari

  3. Department of Applied Geology, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, CDT 250, 98009, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

    M. V. Prasanna

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  1. C. Thivya
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Correspondence to M. V. Prasanna.

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Thivya, C., Chidambaram, S., Keesari, T. et al. Lithological and hydrochemical controls on distribution and speciation of uranium in groundwaters of hard-rock granitic aquifers of Madurai District, Tamil Nadu (India). Environ Geochem Health 38, 497–509 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-015-9735-7

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