Hydrogeochemical processes in the groundwater environment of Batlagundu block, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu: conventional graphical and multivariate statistical approach

Abstract

Water quality assessment is essential to ensure viable safe use of the resources for drinking, agricultural and industrial purposes. Deterioration of groundwater quality due to anthropogenic activities is increasing at an alarming rate in most parts of Dindigul district, but limited work has been carried out on groundwater quality and monitoring. This paper highlights the groundwater quality and compares its suitability for drinking and irrigation purpose of Batlagundu block in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu. Eighteen groundwater samples were collected systematically in triplicates during the year 2013-2014. The physical and chemical parameters of the analytical results of groundwater were compared with the standard guideline values recommended by the Bureau of Indian Standards and World Health Organization for irrigational suitability, domestic usage. Further hydrogeochemical data have been plotted in standard graphs such as Piper trilinear diagram, US Salinity Laboratory (USSL), Giggenbach triangle diagram and Schoeller diagram. The mathematical models are used to estimate water quality parameters and to describe realistic water situations. It is proved that electrical conductance is an important water quality parameter. Hydrofacies diagram reported that alkaline earths (Ca 2+ and Mg 2+) significantly exceed the alkalis (Na + and K +), while acids of (Cl − and HCO 3 −) exceed the acids of (SO 4 2− and CO 3 2−). Therefore, the chemical compositions of the study area were characterized by the Ca-Mg-HCO 3 water type and Na-Cl type. USSL diagram of the study area revealed that most of the sampling sites possess high salinity and low-to-medium sodium hazard indicated that water samples are poorly suitable for usual agropurposes. Giggenbach triangular diagram indicated that the samples have not gained equilibrium with their host rocks, presumably due to fact circulation of fluid through the rock features. The present research work thus concludes that groundwater in the study area is chemically unsuitable for domestic and agricultural uses. It is recommended to carry out a continuous water quality monitoring program and development of effective management practices for utilization of water resources.

Correlation Analysis of Various Water Quality Parameters of the Tiru Reservoir, Maharashtra, India

“…Chlorides correlated positively with T (0.510), pH (0.846), EC (0.809), TDS (0.600), Salinity (0.733), TA (0.696), and Hardness (0.908). The hardness-chloride relationship matches with the findings of Umamageswari et al (2019).…”

Hydrochemical characterization of groundwater quality using chemometric analysis and water quality indices in the foothills of Himalayas

“…Total hardness was the most critical factor in critical box plots, with calcium and magnesium being the primary ions at sample sites 5 and 6. During several sample sites in 2015, Umamageswari et al, ( 2019 ) showed a similar trend of box plots for groundwater assessment. Groundwater is contaminated with dangerous metals and ions due to weathering of rocks and minerals, industrial effluents and wastes, and sewage runoff (Sharma & Bhattacharya, 2017 ; Vetrimurugan et al, 2017 ).…”

Characterization of the Groundwater within Regional Aquifers and Suitability Assessment for Various Uses and Purposes-Western Iraq

“…This leads to the evolution of the Ca-SO 4 , Mg-SO 4, and Na 2 SO 4 water types, reaching an advanced state of geochemical evolution represented by the Na-Cl type. Figure 8 shows that the groundwater of the seven aquifers is mainly plotted in Mg-SO 4 Limited reverse ion exchange has been noticed at two locations within Mullusi aquifer and Mullusi-Ubaid aquifers. Mixing with the underlying dense saltwater is another source of salinization of groundwater from the aquifer, mostly caused by intense pumping (10).…”

“…Spatial analysis techniques can help to estimate, and manage the groundwater assessment; for example in India and Nigeria, the assessment is essential for strategies to protect groundwater and land use (1). The recent international practices in groundwater characterization have been reviewed by several studies (2)(3)(4). Mohamed and Allia (5) have studied the geochemistry of the aquifer based on the ionic components, hydrochemical facies, and the factors controlling groundwater chemistry in the Souf valley of Sepentrional Saha (Algeria), using different graphical plots.…”