In the Kirama-ara River basin, Matara, southern region of Sri Lanka, a variety of agricultural inputs are utilized, and flooding is a common hazard. Therefore, the groundwater in this area is under serious threat. But, the complete physicochemical profile of the groundwater in the Kirama-ara river basin is yet undiscovered. Therefore, the goals of this study were to (a) identify the geochemical characteristics and changes in water quality, (b) evaluate non-carcinogenic health risk and develop a Groundwater quality index (GWQI), and (c) generate a spatial distribution map for groundwater physicochemical characters in the Kirama-ara river basin in Matara, Sri Lanka. The physiochemical characteristics of 16 (G1 to G16) groundwater samples, including pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl−, NO3−, PO43−, and SO42−, were examined for spatial and chronological variations. The pH, NO3−, and PO43− values of 50% (G1,G4,G7,G12,G13,G14,G15,G16), 6.25% (G16), and 6.25% (G16) of the samples, respectively, were determined to be exceeded the allowable limit by both the WHO and SLS standards. The physicochemical investigation demonstrated that while 87.5% of the locations were acceptable for drinking, 12.5% of them lacked sufficient amounts. The most common hydro-chemical facies were Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3−, mixed Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl− face, and Ca2+-Cl−. Rock weathering has a weighty effect on the ionic composition and chemistry of groundwater in the study area. Additionally, health risk assessment revealed that children face greater health risks than adults. Further investigations should be conducted to build reasonable management plans for long-term groundwater quality conservation and public health.
In the Kirama-ara River basin, Matara, southern region of Sri Lanka, a variety of agricultural inputs are utilized, and flooding is a common hazard. As a result, the complete physicochemical profile of the groundwater in the Kirama-ara river basin is yet undiscovered. Therefore, the goals of this study were to (a) identify the geochemical characteristics and changes in water quality, (b) evaluate non-carcinogenic health risk and develop a GWQI, and (c) generate a spatial distribution map for groundwater physicochemical parameters in the Kirama-ara river basin in Matara, Sri Lanka. The physiochemical characteristics of 16 groundwater samples, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, NO3−, PO43−, and SO42−, were examined for spatial and temporal variations. The pH, NO3−, and PO43− values of 50%, 6.25%, and 12.5% of the samples, respectively, were determined to be beyond the allowable limit by both the WHO and SLS. The physicochemical investigation demonstrates that while 87.5% of the locations were acceptable for drinking, 12.5% of them lacked sufficient amounts. The most common hydro-chemical facies were Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3−, mixed Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl− face, and Ca2+-Cl−. Rock weathering has a profound impact on the ionic composition and chemistry of groundwater. Additionally, health risk assessment research conducted in accordance with United States Environmental Protection Agency rules revealed that children face greater health risks than adults. To build reasonable management plans for long-term groundwater quality conservation and public health, more research is required.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.