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Characterization of weathering profile and quality of groundwater over hard rock terrain

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Abstract

In this study, we present a detailed characterization of weathering profile and groundwater over a hard rock terrain showing the formation of kaolinite, groundwater quality assessment, and hydrogeochemistry. The crystal structure, chemical composition, and spectral characteristics of a weathering profile collected from Thiruvananthapuram district, the southern part of Kerala, India, were studied using XRD, ED-XRF, TG-DTA, UV-Vis-NIR, XPS, and FTIR spectroscopy. The physicochemical parameters of the groundwater were determined and evaluated for the groundwater suitability for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes based on the values of total hardness, TDS, corrosivity ratio, RSC, SAR, USSL classification, saturation index, and Schoeller and Stuyfzand classification derived using “HYCH” program. Interpretation of the results shows that the groundwater is suitable for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes. The characterization of the profile samples reveals that the aquifer is a weathered profile with the formation of kaolinite mineral at the bottom. The results show that the hydrogeochemical processes that exist in the present study area are controlled by precipitation, not by rock–water interaction or evaporation, which suggests that the groundwater chemistry is not influenced by the aquifer minerals.

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Acknowledgements

The first author is thankful to DST-INSPIRE Division, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, for providing the INSPIRE fellowship. The authors thank the Director, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Trivandrum, Kerala, India, for extending the laboratory facilities. The authors wish to express heartfelt thanks to Mr. Manoj. M for the help in collecting the soil and water samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Minerals Section, Materials Science and Technology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695019, India

    Rajan Girija Rejith & Mayappan Sundararajan

  2. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India

    Rajan Girija Rejith & Mayappan Sundararajan

  3. Department of Geology, Presidency College, Chennai, 600005, India

    Balu Gowtham & Joseph Francis Lawrence

  4. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Mysore, Mysore, Karnataka, 570006, India

    Ayyappan Balasubramanian

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  1. Rajan Girija Rejith
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Correspondence to Mayappan Sundararajan.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Recent advanced techniques in water resources management

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Rejith, R.G., Sundararajan, M., Gowtham, B. et al. Characterization of weathering profile and quality of groundwater over hard rock terrain. Arab J Geosci 14, 228 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-06546-0

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