Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in coastal phreatic aquifers of Alleppey district, Kerala

  • Published:
Journal of the Geological Society of India

Abstract

Hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in phreatic aquifers of Alleppey district were studied. Factor analysis has been applied to the chemical analysis data of 32 water samples collected from dug wells to extract the principal factors corresponding to the sources of variation in the hydrochemistry. 12 hydrochemical parameters were correlated and statistically examined. Varimax rotation was used to define the factor scores and percentage of variance in the hydrogeochemistry. A four-factor model is extracted and explains over 80.394% of the total groundwater quality variation. Factor-1 has high loading values of Electrical Conductivity (EC), Ca++, and Cl−, and reflects the signature of saline water. Similarly strong correlation exists between F3 score and pH. The correlation coefficient matrix between EC and Na+, Cl−, SO −−4 is significant. The mineralogy of coastal aquifers and the marine aerosol are playing significant role in the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater in the phreatic aquifer system.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aris, A.Z., Abdullah, M.H., Ahmed, A. and Woong, K.K. (2007) Controlling factors of groundwater hydrochemistry in a small islands aquifer. Int. Jour. Environ. Sci. Tech., v.4(4), pp.441–450

    Google Scholar 

  • BIS. (1991) Indian standard specification for drinking water. IS: 10500, Indian Standard Institute, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briz-kishore, B.H. and Murali, G. (1992) Factor analysis for revealing hydrochemical characteristics of a watershed. Environ. Geol., v.19, pp.3–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • CGWB.(1992) Final technical report on SIDA assisted Coastal Kerala Ground Water Project, pp.1–233.

  • CGWB. (2003) Ground water resources and development potential of Alleppey district, Kerala, pp.1–30.

  • Davis, J. C. (1986) Statistics and data analysis in geology (2nd Ed). John Willey and Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeze, R.A. and Cherry, J.A. (1979) Groundwater. Prentice-Hall, Inc, New-Jersey, 604p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo, A.H. and Marui, A. (2007) Modeling the dynamics of the freshwater-saltwater interface in response to construction activities at a coastal site. Jour. Environ. Sci. Tech., v.4(3), pp.285–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hem, J.D. (1991) Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural waters, U.S. Geol. Surv.Water-Supply Paper, v.2254, 264p.

  • Kaiser, H.F. (1958) The varimax criterion for analytic rotation in factor analysis. Psychometrika, v.23, pp.187–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kunhambu, V. (2003) A study on sea water ingress in the coastal aquifer in parts of Alleppey and Ernakulam districts, Kerala State. Unpubld. Report of CGWB, Kerala Region, pp.1–29.

  • Lawrence, F.W. and Upchurch, S.B. (1983) Identification of recharge areas using Geochemical factor analysis. Groundwater, v.20, pp.680–687.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nie, N.J., Hull, C. H., Jenkins, J G., Steinbrenner, K. and Brent, D.H. (1975) Statistical package for the social sciences. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York. 2nd Ed., 675p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olobaniyi, S.B. and Owoyemi, F.B. (2006) Characterization by factor analysis of the chemical facies of groundwater in the deltaic plain sands aquifer of Warri, western Niger delta, Nigeria. African Jour. Sci. and Tech., Sci. and Engg. Series, v.7, no.1, pp.73–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramesh Kumar, A. and Riyazuddin, P. (2008) Application of chemometric techniques in the assessment of groundwater pollution in a suburban area of Chennai city, India, Curr. Sci., v.94, no.8, pp.235–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Subbarao, C., Subbarao, N.V. and Chandu, S.N. (1996) Characterization of groundwater contamination using factor analysis. Environ. Geol., v.28(4), pp.175–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Todd, D. K. (1980) Groundwater Hydrology. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 535p.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Trivandrum, 695 581, India

    E. Shaji

  2. Central Ground Water Board, Kerala Region, Trivandrum, 6950 04, India

    N. Vinayachandran & D. S. Thambi

Authors
  1. E. Shaji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. Vinayachandran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. S. Thambi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Shaji.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shaji, E., Vinayachandran, N. & Thambi, D.S. Hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in coastal phreatic aquifers of Alleppey district, Kerala. J Geol Soc India 74, 585–590 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-009-0172-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-009-0172-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation