Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Investigation of groundwater quality in hardrock terrain using Geoinformation System

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two hundred sample sites were selected systematically and samples were taken for a baseline study to understand the geochemistry of the groundwater and to assess the overall physicochemical characteristics. Sampling was carried out using pre-cleaned polyethylene containers. The physical and chemical parameters of the analytical results of groundwater were compared with the standard guideline values recommended by the World Health Organization for drinking and public health standards. Thematic maps pertaining to TDS, EC, Cl, NO3, SO4, and Na were generated using Arc View 3.1 platform. Results showed that most of the locations are contaminated by higher concentration of EC, TDS, K + , and NO\(_{3}^{\;-}\). Major hydro-chemical facies were identified using Piper trilinear diagram. Based on US salinity diagram, most of the samples fall in the field of C3-S1 indicating high salinity and low sodium water, which can be used for almost all types of soil with little danger of exchangeable sodium. Majority of the samples are not suitable for domestic purposes and far from drinking water standards. However, PI values indicate that groundwater is suitable for irrigation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • APHA (1995). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater (17th ed.). Washington, DC: APHA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balasubrahmanian, K. (1980). Geology of parts of Vedasandur Taluk, Madurai District, Tamilnadu (p. 14). Progress Report, GSI Tech. Rept. Madras.

  • Barker, R. D., Rao, T. V., & Thangarajan, M. (2001). Delineation of contaminant zone through electrical imaging technique. Current Science, 81(3), 101–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basak, P., & Murty, V. N. (1977). Nonlinear diffusion applied to groundwater contamination problems. Journal of Hydrology, 35, 357–363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burston, M. W., Nazaari, M. M., Bishop, K. P., & Lerner, D. N. (1993). Pollution of ground water in the coventry region (UK) by chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents. Journal of Hydrology, 149, 137–161.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Comly, H. H. (1945). Cyanosis in infants caused by nitrates in well water. Journal of the American Medical Association, 129(129), 12–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, S. N., & DeWiest, R. J. (1966). Hydrogeology. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domenico, P. A., & Schwartz, F. W. (1990). Physical and chemical hydrogeology (pp. 410–420). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edmunds, W. M., Shand, P., Hart, P., & Ward, R. S. (2003). The natural (baseline) quality of groundwater: A UK pilot study. Science of the Total Environment, 310, 25–35.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freeze, R. A., & Cherry, J. A. (1979). Groundwater. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra, P. C., Behera, P. C., & Patel, R. K. (2005). Contamination of water due to major industries and open refuse dumping in the steel city of Orissa–a case study. Journal of Environmental Science & Engineering, 47(2), 141–154.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mondal, N. C., & Singh, V. S. (2004). A new approach to delineate the groundwater recharge zone in hard rock terrain. Current Science, 87(5), 658–662.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mull, R., Harig, F., & Pielke, M. (1992). Groundwater management in the urban area of Hanover Germany. Journal of the Institution of Water and Environmental Management, 6(2), 199–206.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nickson, R. T., McArthur, J. M., Shrestha, B., Kyaw-Nyint, T. O., & Lowry, D. (2005). Arsenic and other drinking water quality issues, Muzaffargarh District, Pakistan. Applied Geochemistry, 20, 55–68.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piper, A. M. (1994). A graphical procedure in the geochemical interpretation of water analysis. American Geophysical Union Transactions, 25, 914–928.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pokrajac, D. (1999). Interrelation of wastewater and groundwater management in the city of Bijeljina in Bosnia. Urban Water, 1, 243–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sahinci, A. (1991). Geochemistry of natural waters (in Turkish) (p. 548). Izmir: Reform Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saleh, A., Al-Ruwih, F., & Shehata, M. (1999). Hydrogeochemical process operating within the main aquifers of Kuwait. Journal of Arid Environments, 42, 195–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, G. N., & McMcartly, D. L. (1967). Chemistry of sanitary engineers (2nd ed., p. 518). New York: McGraw Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sawyer, G. N., McMcartly, D. L., & Parkin, G. F. (2003). Chemistry for environmental engineering and science (5th ed., p. 752). New York: McGraw Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivran, H. S., Dinesh Kumar, D., & Singh, R. V. (2006). Improvement of water quality though biological denitrification. Journal of Environmental Science & Engineering, 48(1), 57–60.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, V. S., Mondal, N. C., Ron, B., Thangarajan, M., Rao, T. V., & Subrahmanyam, K. (2003). Assessment of groundwater regime in Kodaganar river basin (Dindigul District, Tamilnadu) (p. 104). Unpublished Tech. Report. No.2003-GW-269.

  • Subramani, T., Elango, L., & Damodarasamy, S. R. (2005). Groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking and agricultural use Chithar River Basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Environmental Geology, 47, 1099–1110.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tijani, M. N. (1994). Hydrochemical assessment of groundwater in Moro area, Kwara State, Nigeria. Environmental Geology, 24, 194–202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Salinity Laboratory Staff (1954). Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkalis soils. US Dept Agric Handbook, 60, 160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittemore, D. O., Greggor, K. M. M., & Marotz, G. A. (1989). Effects of variations in recharge on groundwater quality. Journal of Hydrology, 106, 131–145.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1993). Guidelines for drinking water quality, recommendations (Vol. 1, 2nd ed., p. 130). Geneva: WHO.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Imran Ahmad Dar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dar, I.A., Sankar, K., Shafi, T. et al. Investigation of groundwater quality in hardrock terrain using Geoinformation System. Environ Monit Assess 176, 575–595 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1605-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1605-2

Keywords

Navigation