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Geochemistry and quality of groundwater of Gummanampadu sub-basin, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India

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Abstract

Groundwater survey has been carried out in the area of Gummanampadu sub-basin located in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India for assessing the factors that are responsible for changing of groundwater chemistry and consequent deterioration of groundwater quality, where the groundwater is a prime source for drinking and irrigation due to non-availability of surface water in time. The area is underlain by the Archaean Gneissic Complex, over which the Proterozoic Cumbhum rocks occur. The results of the plotting of Ca2+ + Mg2+ versus HCO3 − + CO3 2−, Ca2+ + Mg2+ versus total cations, Na+ + K+ versus total cations, Cl− + SO4 2− versus Na+ + K+, Na+ versus Cl−, Na+ versus HCO3 − + CO3 2−, Na+ versus Ca2+ and Na+: Cl− versus EC indicate that the rock–water interaction under alkaline condition is the main mechanism in activating mineral dissociation and dissolution, causing the release of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3 −, CO3 2−, SO4 2− and F− ions into the groundwater. The ionic relations also suggest that the higher concentrations of Na+ and Cl− ions are the results of ion exchange and evaporation. The influences of anthropogenic sources are the other cause for increasing of Mg2+, Na+, Cl−, SO4 2− and NO3 − ions. Further, the excess alkaline condition in water accelerates more effective dissolution of F−-bearing minerals. Moreover, the chemical data plotted in the Piper’s, Gibbs’s and Langelier–Ludwig’s diagrams, computed for the chloro-alkaline and saturation indices, and analyzed in the principal component analysis, support the above hypothesis. The groundwater quality is, thus, characterized by Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+: HCO3 − + CO3 2− > Cl− > SO4 2− > NO3 − > F− facies. On the other hand, majority of groundwater samples are not suitable for drinking with reference to the concentrations of TDS, TH, Mg2+ and F−, while those are not good for irrigation with respect to USSL’s and Wilcox’s diagrams, residual sodium carbonate, and magnesium hazard, but they are safe for irrigation with respect to permeability index. Thus, the study recommends suitable management measures to improve health conditions as well as to increase agricultural output.

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Acknowledgments

The author, A. Subrahmanyam, thanks the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for financial assistance to carry out this work under a research project. The authors are very much thankful to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions to improve the manuscript.

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  1. A. Subrahmanyam

    Present address: Department of Civil Engineering, Malineni Perumallu Educational Society Groups of Engineering College, Pulladigunta, 522 017, Andhra Pradesh, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, 530 003, Andhra Pradesh, India

    N. Subba Rao, N. Srinivasulu, P. Surya Rao & G. Venkatram Reddy

  2. Department of Geology, Hindu College, Guntur, 522 003, Andhra Pradesh, India

    A. Subrahmanyam & S. Ravi Kumar

  3. Department of Geology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjunanagar, 522 510, Andhra Pradesh, India

    G. Babu Rao

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Subba Rao, N., Subrahmanyam, A., Ravi Kumar, S. et al. Geochemistry and quality of groundwater of Gummanampadu sub-basin, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Environ Earth Sci 67, 1451–1471 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1590-6

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