Assessment of groundwater quality and hydrogeochemistry of Manimuktha River basin, Tamil Nadu, India

Groundwater quality assessment study was carried out around Manimuktha river basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Twenty six bore well samples were analyzed for geochemical variations and quality of groundwater. Four major hydrochemical facies (Ca–HCO₃, Na–Cl, Mixed CaNaHCO₃, and mixed CaMgCl) were identified using a Piper trilinear diagram. Comparison of geochemical results with World Health Organization, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Indian Standard Institution drinking water standards shows that all groundwater samples except few are suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes. The major groundwater pollutions are nitrate and phosphate ions due to sewage effluents and fertilizer applications. The study reveals that the groundwater quality changed due to anthropogenic and natural influence such as agricultural, natural weathering process.     

Land suitability assessment for wind power plant site selection using ANP-DEMATEL in a GIS environment: case study of Ardabil province,Iran

Wind energy is a renewable energy resource that has increased in usage in most countries. Site selection for the establishment of large wind turbines, called wind farms, like any other engineering project, requires basic information and careful planning. This study assessed the possibility of establishing wind farms in Ardabil province in northwestern Iran by using a combination of analytic network process (ANP) and decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) methods in a geographical information system (GIS) environment. DEMATEL was used to determine the criteria relationships. The weights of the criteria were determined using ANP and the overlaying process was done on GIS. Using 13 information layers in three main criteria including environmental, technical and economical, the land suitability map was produced and reclassified into 5 equally scored divisions from least suitable to most suitable areas. The results showed that about 6.68 % of the area of Ardabil province is most suitable for establishment of wind turbines. Sensitivity analysis shows that significant portions of these most suitable zones coincide with suitable divisions of the input layers. The efficiency and accuracy of the hybrid model (ANP-DEMATEL) was evaluated and the results were compared to the ANP model. The sensitivity analysis, map classification, and factor weights for the two methods showed satisfactory results for the ANP-DEMATEL model in wind power plant site selection.     

Monitoring and assessment of groundwater quality in a khondalitic terrain,Andhra Pradesh,India

The groundwater quality assessment for the drinking and irrigation purpose is carried out in the Kandivalasa River Sub Basin covered with khondalitic suite (Garneti ferrous, Sillimanite, Gneiss) of rocks, near Cheepurupalli town of Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The analysis for the groundwater quality for drinking has shown the slightly alkaline nature and high values of alkalinity in the study area. A very high concentration of total dissolved solids value is observed at one pocket where there has been contamination by many fertilizer industries located nearby the study area. The groundwater is highly affected by the nitrate. Higher fluoride values are obtained at few pockets. Most of the samples in the study area are categorized as very hard category. According to the Piper trilinear diagram, it can be observed that the carbonate hardness and secondary salinity have occupied at major part of study area. From the analysis of sodium adsorption ratio, salinity hazard, sodium percentage, residual sodium carbonate, and Kelly’s ratio, all the groundwater samples except at few locations fell under the category of good to excellent for irrigation. The prepared integrated groundwater quality maps for the drinking purpose and agricultural purposes are indicating that, by and large, the low-lying areas are having poor groundwater quality than the uplands for drinking as well as agricultural needs which means that the groundwater quality of the basin is following the topography.     

Groundwater hydrogeochemistry of Trikala municipality, central Greece

Sixty-four samples from the groundwater resources of Trikala municipality, central Greece, were collected during two periods (2006 and 2007) and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters (temperature, pH, specific electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids), major ions (Ca²⁺, Cl^?, HCO ₃ ^? , K⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, NO ₃ ^? , SO ₄ ^2? ), and several potentially toxic elements (Al, B, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Cl, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sc, Si, Sn, Sr, U, V, Y, Zn). European Council directives and USEPA guidelines were used to assess the water quality. The results indicate that all samples are fresh water, suitable for human consumption. All basic ions and physico-chemical parameters have average concentrations below their recommended optimum limits with the exception of electrical conductivity, for January 2007, and nitrate for October 2006 and January 2007 sampling periods. This exceedance is the result of dissolution of minerals such as calcite and dolomite that are present in the surrounding rocks and the application of fertilizers, respectively. Lead is the only element with an average value that exceeds the recommended EC guideline, while special attention should be paid to one borehole (T9) which has elevated NO ₃ ^? values which may pose a risk to human health.     

Density assessment and mapping of microorganisms around a biocomposting plant in Sanandaj,Iran

Exposure to microorganisms can cause various diseases or exacerbate the excitatory responses, inflammation, dry cough and shortness of breath, reduced lung function, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and allergic response or allergic immune. The aim of the present study was to investigate the density of microorganisms around the air of processing facilities of a biocomposting plant. Each experiment was carried out according to ASTM E884-82 (2001) method. The samples were collected from inhaled air in four locations of the plant, which had a high traffic of workers and employees, including screen, conveyor belt, aerated compost pile, and static compost pile. The sampling was repeated five times for each location selected. The wind speed and its direction were measured using an anemometer. Temperature and humidity were also recorded at the time of sampling. The multistage impactor used for sampling was equipped with a solidified medium (agar) and a pump (with a flow rate of 28.3 l/m) for passing air through the media. It was found that the mean density of total bacteria was >1.7 × 10³ cfu/m³ in the study area. Moreover, the mean densities of fungi, intestinal bacteria (Klebsiella), and Staphylococcus aureus were 5.9 × 10³, 3.3 × 10³, and 4.1 × 10³ cfu/m³, respectively. In conclusion, according to the findings, the density of bacteria and fungi per cubic meter of air in the samples collected around the processing facilities of the biocomposting plant in Sanandaj City was higher than the microbial standard for inhaled air.     

Chemical characteristics of groundwater and assessment of groundwater quality in Varaha River Basin, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Study on chemical characteristics of groundwater and impacts of groundwater quality on human health, plant growth, and industrial sector is essential to control and improve the water quality in every part of the country. The area of the Varaha River Basin is chosen for the present study, where the Precambrian Eastern Ghats underlain the Recent sediments. Groundwater quality is of mostly brackish and very hard, caused by the sources of geogenic, anthropogenic, and marine origin. The resulting groundwater is characterized by Na(+)?>?Mg(2+)?>?Ca(2+)?:?[Formula: see text]?>?Cl(-)?>?[Formula: see text], Na(+)?>?Mg(2+)?>?Ca(2+)?:?[Formula: see text]?>?Cl(-)?>?[Formula: see text]?>?[Formula: see text], Na(+)?>?Mg(2+)?>?Ca(2+)?:?[Formula: see text]?>?Cl(-), and Na(+)?>?Mg(2+)?>?Ca(2+)?:?Cl(-)?>?[Formula: see text]?>?[Formula: see text] facies, following the topographical and water flow-path conditions. The genetic geochemical evolution of groundwater ([Formula: see text] and Cl(-)-[Formula: see text] types under major group of [Formula: see text]) and the hydrogeochemical signatures (Na(+)/Cl(-), >1 and [Formula: see text]/Cl(-), <1) indicate that the groundwater is of originally fresh quality, but is subsequently modified to brackish by the influences of anthropogenic and marine sources, which also supported by the statistical analysis. The concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), TH, Mg(2+), Na(+), K(+), [Formula: see text], Cl(-), [Formula: see text], and F(-) are above the recommended limits prescribed for drinking water in many locations. The quality of groundwater is of mostly moderate in comparison with the salinity hazard versus sodium hazard, the total salt concentration versus percent sodium, the residual sodium carbonate, and the magnesium hazard, but is of mostly suitable with respect to the permeability index for irrigation. The higher concentrations of TDS, TH, [Formula: see text], Cl(-), and [Formula: see text] in the groundwater cause the undesirable effects of incrustation and corrosion in many locations. Appropriate management measures are, therefore, suggested to improve the groundwater quality.     

Spatial assessment of groundwater quality in Mamundiyar basin, Tamil Nadu, India

Understanding the groundwater quality is important as it is the main factor determining its suitability for drinking, domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes. In order to assess the groundwater quality, 30 groundwater samples have been collected in year 2008. The water samples collected in the field were analyzed for electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), major cations like calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and anions like bicarbonate, carbonate, chloride, nitrate, and sulfate, in the laboratory using the standard methods given by the American Public Health Association. The groundwater locations were selected to cover the entire study area and attention was been given to the area where contamination is expected. The expected groundwater contaminants were chloride, nitrate, TDS, etc. The results were evaluated in accordance with the drinking water quality standards given by the World Health Organization (WHO 1993). To know the distribution pattern of the concentration of different elements and to demarcate the higher concentration zones, the contour maps for various elements were also generated, discussed, and presented.     

The hydrochemistry of groundwater in rural communities within the Tema District, Ghana

A detailed study has been carried out on groundwater in rural communities in the Tema District of the Greater Accra region of Ghana to establish the hydrochemistry and identify the various sources of contaminants as well assess the physical and chemical quality of the groundwater to ascertain their wholesomeness and the health impacts of the groundwater on the communities. The groundwater was found to vary considerably in terms of chemical and physical properties. Generally, the water was mildly acidic (pH 4.3–7.4), brackish to fresh, and undersaturated with respect to gypsum and halite. The majority of groundwater clustered toward Ca–Mg–SO₄ and Na–Cl facies. About 70% of boreholes sampled have elevated levels of NO₃ ^??–N, Cl^???, and SO₄ ^2? emanating from anthropogenic activities.     

Hydrochemical characterization and pollution assessment of groundwater in Jammu Siwaliks,India

Physico-chemical groundwater (GW) parameters were evaluated to understand the hydrogeochemical processes in the Siwalik plains of Jammu and Kashmir, India. During the 2012–2013 post-monsoon (POM) and pre-monsoon (PRM) seasons, GW samples (n = 207) from deep bore wells and shallow open wells were chemically analysed. Cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ and Fe²⁺) and anions (HCO₃ ^?, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2? and F^?) showed a wide spatio-temporal variation. Results suggest that weathering and dissolution of carbonates and silicate rocks is the main source of water mineralization. The major hydrochemical facies is characterized by Ca-Mg-HCO₃ and Ca-HCO₃ during the PRM and POM seasons respectively. The presence of sulphate-bearing water in a large number of the samples indicates a significant role of gypsum dissolution and anthropogenic contamination of the GW. Factor analysis (FA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that the variability of hydrochemistry is mainly related to rock-water interaction, dissolution of carbonates and other lithological units as well as the influence of anthropogenic activities in the area. Overall, it was found that the GW quality is within the limits of human consumption. The higher concentration of a few chemicals indicates an increasing trend of industrial contamination of the GW. For sustainable development of the portable GW in Siwaliks, it is necessary to minimize the adverse impacts of the anthropogenic and industrial contamination on the GW resources through best management practices and prevent its further contamination to a level that could make GW unsuitable for human uses.     

Regional assessment of groundwater quality for drinking purpose

Owing to limited surface water during a long-term drought, this work attempted to locate clean and safe groundwater in the Choushui River alluvial fan of Taiwan based on drinking-water quality standards. Because aquifers contained several pollutants, multivariate indicator kriging (MVIK) was adopted to integrate the multiple pollutants in groundwater based on drinking- and raw-water quality standards and to explore spatial uncertainty. According to probabilities estimated by MVIK, safe zones were determined under four treatment conditions—no treatment; ammonium–N and iron removal; manganese and arsenic removal; and ammonium–N, iron, manganese, and arsenic removal. The analyzed results reveal that groundwater in the study area is not appropriate for drinking use without any treatments because of high ammonium–N, iron, manganese, and/or arsenic concentrations. After ammonium–N, iron, manganese, and arsenic removed, about 81.9–94.9% of total areas can extract safe groundwater for drinking. The proximal-fan, central mid-fan, southern mid-fan, and northern regions are the excellent locations to pump safe groundwater for drinking after treatment. Deep aquifers of exceeding 200 m depth have wider regions to obtain excellent groundwater than shallow aquifers do.     

Numerical modelling of the groundwater inflow to an advancing open pit mine: Kolahdarvazeh pit,Central Iran

The groundwater inflow into a mine during its life and after ceasing operations is one of the most important concerns of the mining industry. This paper presents a hydrogeological assessment of the Irankuh Zn-Pb mine at 20 km south of Esfahan and 1 km northeast of Abnil in west-Central Iran. During mine excavation, the upper impervious bed of a confined aquifer was broken and water at high-pressure flowed into an open pit mine associated with the Kolahdarvazeh deposit. The inflow rates were 6.7 and 1.4 m³/s at the maximum and minimum quantities, respectively. Permeability, storage coefficient, thickness and initial head of the fully saturated confined aquifer were 3.5?×?10^?4 m/s, 0.2, 30 m and 60 m, respectively. The hydraulic heads as a function of time were monitored at four observation wells in the vicinity of the pit over 19 weeks and at an observation well near a test well over 21 h. In addition, by measuring the rate of pumping out from the pit sump, at a constant head (usually equal to height of the pit floor), the real inflow rates to the pit were monitored. The main innovations of this work were to make comparison between numerical modelling using a finite element software called SEEP/W and actual data related to inflow and extend the applicability of the numerical model. This model was further used to estimate the hydraulic heads at the observation wells around the pit over 19 weeks during mining operations. Data from a pump-out test and observation wells were used for model calibration and verification. In order to evaluate the model efficiency, the modelling results of inflow quantity and hydraulic heads were compared to those from analytical solutions, as well as the field data. The mean percent error in relation to field data for the inflow quantity was 0.108. It varied between 1.16 and 1.46 for hydraulic head predictions, which are much lower values than the mean percent errors resulted from the analytical solutions (from 1.8 to 5.3 for inflow and from 2.16 to 3.5 for hydraulic head predictions). The analytical solutions underestimated the inflow compared to the numerical model for the time period of 2–19 weeks. The results presented in this paper can be used for developing an effective dewatering program.     

Hydrogeochemistry for the assessment of groundwater quality in Varanasi: a fast-urbanizing center in Uttar Pradesh, India

The hydrogeochemical parameters for groundwater samples of the Varanasi area, a fast-urbanizing region in India, were studied to evaluate the major ion chemistry, weathering and solute acquisition processes controlling water composition, and suitability of water quality for domestic and irrigation uses. Sixty-eight groundwater samples were collected randomly from dug wells and hand pumps in the urban Varanasi area and analyzed for various chemical parameters. Geologically, the study area comprises Quaternary alluvium made up of an alternating succession of clay, silty clay, and sand deposits. The Total dissolved solids classification reveals that except two locations, the groundwater samples are desirable for drinking, and all are useful for irrigation purposes. The cationic and anionic concentrations indicated that the majority of the groundwater samples belong to the order of Na > Ca > Mg > K and HCO₃ > Cl > SO₄ types, respectively. Geochemical classification of groundwater based on the Chadha rectangular diagram shows that the majority (81%) of groundwater samples belong to the calcium?Cbicarbonate type. The HCO₃/ (HCO₃ + SO₄) ratio (0.87) indicates mostly carbonic acid weathering process due to presence of kankar carbonate mixed with clay/fine sand. The high nitrate concentration (>45?mg/l) of about 18% of the groundwater samples may be due to the local domestic sewage, leakage of septic tanks, and improper management of sanitary landfills. In general, the calculated values of sodium adsorption ratio, percent sodium, residual sodium carbonate, and permeability index indicate good to permissible use of water for irrigation, and only a few locations demand remedial measures for better crop yields.     

Indoor radon measurement and effective dose assessment of 150 apartments in Mashhad,Iran

Environmental monitoring and indoor radon measurement are important for public health, to estimate the cancer risk of respiratory system and, if necessary, to suggest proper methods that reduce indoor radon level. In this research, indoor radon concentration in the air has been measured in 150 apartments in Mashhad city. The result demonstrates about 94.7% of apartments have radon concentration less than 100 Bq/m³, taken by WHO as the action level, and 5.3% have the concentration higher than this level. As well as, annual radon dose has been assessed using the equation for annual effective dose calculation introduced by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.     

Quality assessment of groundwater from the south-eastern Arabian Peninsula

Assessment of groundwater quality plays a significant role in the utilization of the scarce water resources globally and especially in arid regions. The increasing abstraction together with man-made contamination and seawater intrusion have strongly affected groundwater quality in the Arabia Peninsula, exemplified by the investigation given here from the United Arab Emirates, where the groundwater is seldom reviewed and assessed. In the aim of assessing current groundwater quality, we here present a comparison of chemical data linked to aquifers types. The results reveal that most of the investigated groundwater is not suitable for drinking, household, and agricultural purposes following the WHO permissible limits. Aquifer composition and climate have vital control on the water quality, with the carbonate aquifers contain the least potable water compared to the ophiolites and Quaternary clastics. Seawater intrusion along coastal regions has deteriorated the water quality and the phenomenon may become more intensive with future warming climate and rising sea level.