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Groundwater dynamics of a saline impacted coastal aquifer of western Maharashtra, India: insights from a radiotracer study

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Abstract

This paper presents application of a radiotracer technique in coastal groundwater for assessing the aquifer dynamics, which is very crucial for understanding flow conditions of an aquifer and its vulnerability to salinity and other contamination. Groundwater dynamics in shallow and deep zones of Palghar Taluk located in west coast of Thane district were studied using point dilution method. 82Br in the form of NH4Br solution was used as the radiotracer and loggings were carried out by NaI (Tl) scintillation detector. From the analysis of the radiotracer activity loggings, it is found that shallow groundwater is relatively dynamic as compared to deeper groundwater at the two studied sites. The groundwater velocity is about 40–50 cm/day in the shallow zone while it is in the range of 4–40 cm/day in the deep zone. High salinity in deeper parts could be due to seawater intrusion through fractured basalt, which is diluted/flushed in the shallow zone by rain and river water. These findings are helpful in assessing groundwater dynamics in shallow and deep zones of this region and also on the impact of pumping activity on groundwater dynamics.

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Acknowledgments

Authors sincerely acknowledge the constant support and encouragement by Dr. U. Saravana Kumar, Head, Isotope Hydrology Section and Dr. Gursharan Singh, Associate Director, Radiochemistry and Isotope Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai. Thanks are also due to authorities from Geological Surveys and Development Agency, Thane, Maharashtra for their helpful suggestions during the course of this study. Authors are thankful to Mr. Pratap Singh for providing health physicist services during radiotracer experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Isotope Applications Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, India

    Tirumalesh Keesari, U. P. Kulkarni, Ajay Jaryal, G. N. Mendhekar & S. N. Kamble

  2. Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency, Thane, Maharashtra, India

    K. N. Deshmukh & A. G. Hegde

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  1. Tirumalesh Keesari
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  2. U. P. Kulkarni
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  3. Ajay Jaryal
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  4. G. N. Mendhekar
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  5. K. N. Deshmukh
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  6. A. G. Hegde
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  7. S. N. Kamble
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Correspondence to Tirumalesh Keesari.

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Keesari, T., Kulkarni, U.P., Jaryal, A. et al. Groundwater dynamics of a saline impacted coastal aquifer of western Maharashtra, India: insights from a radiotracer study. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 300, 1–6 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-2940-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-2940-5

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