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Stable isotopic and hydrochemical studies in a part of central Ganga basin

  • Research Articles
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Journal of the Geological Society of India

Abstract

Isotopic and hydrochemical studies of groundwater were attempted in a part of central Ganga basin to gain knowledge on recharge conditions, to outline the processes responsible for isotopic fractionation, to determine the surface-water groundwater interaction and to locate the sources of groundwater contamination in the area. In the present study, conjunctive use of isotopic and silica data is employed to make an assessment of residence time of water underground and to decipher the role of rock water interaction in isotopic variations. Although the aquifer in the area is isotopically heterogeneous in its lateral extension, but oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions of most of the samples in premonsoon and post-monsoon exhibited very similar ranges which point to the single source of recharge in both the seasons. However, during post-monsoon, evaporation effects can be observed in some groundwater samples which can be attributed to the irrigation return flow in the area. Various sources of groundwater contamination have been narrowed down and it has been found that agriculture plays a dominant role in groundwater contamination in addition to other domestic and industrial sources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202 002, India

    Zameer Ahmad Shah & Rashid Umar

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  1. Zameer Ahmad Shah
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  2. Rashid Umar
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Correspondence to Rashid Umar.

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Shah, Z.A., Umar, R. Stable isotopic and hydrochemical studies in a part of central Ganga basin. J Geol Soc India 85, 706–716 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-015-0267-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-015-0267-7

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