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Hydrogeochemical investigation and qualitative assessment of groundwater resources in Bokaro district, Jharkhand, India

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Abstract

The present study is carried out in the Bokaro district of the Jharkhand state to identify the hydrogeochemical characteristic of the groundwater and assess its quality with reference to drinking, domestic, and agriculture purposes. In the study area, 102 groundwater samples were collected during the pre-monsoon season and post-monsoon season (51 samples per season) and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, F−, Cl−, HCO3−, SO42−, NO3−, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+. The analytical results show slightly acidic to slightly alkaline nature of the groundwater in the study area. Ca2+ and Na+ are the dominant cations, while anion chemistry is dominated by HCO3− and Cl− during both seasons, respectively. The data plotted on the Piper and Gibbs diagram, as well as statistical analysis, reveals that the chemistry of the groundwater in the study area is mainly controlled by rock weathering phenomenon with secondary contributions from anthropogenic sources. The water quality assessment indicated that TDS, hardness, Ca2+, Na+, HCO3−, and Cl− are the major concern parameters in the study area during both seasons. Sodium adsorption ratio, sodium percent, residual sodium carbonate, magnesium hazard, Kelly’s ratio, and permeability index are calculated to identify the suitability of water for irrigation purposes and revealed that most of the groundwater is suitable for irrigation purposes, except few sites. The present study will be useful in the future management of groundwater resources of the area.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Director, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India, for his kind support and permission to publish this paper. One of the authors (Poornima Verma) is thankful to ISM/MHRD/Government of India. We are also thankful to Dr. Mukesh Kumar Mahato, Mr. Subhash Chandra, Binay Prakash Panigrahy, and other lab members for their support and encouragement. Our hearty thanks to the editor and anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions on how to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand, 826004, India

    Prasoon Kumar Singh & Poornima Verma

  2. DIATI-Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Turin, Italy

    Ashwnai Kumar Tiwari

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  1. Prasoon Kumar Singh
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Correspondence to Poornima Verma.

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Singh, P.K., Verma, P. & Tiwari, A.K. Hydrogeochemical investigation and qualitative assessment of groundwater resources in Bokaro district, Jharkhand, India. Arab J Geosci 11, 483 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3831-9

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