Application of GIS technique to address the uranium contamination in groundwater of a hard rock aquifer, South India

Abstract

The present research aims to determine the sources and concentration of uranium in the groundwater of the hard rock aquifer. Two hundred and fifty-four groundwater samples were collected, and the analysis shows the uranium concentrations range from 0.5 to 113 ppb (pre-monsoon) and 0.5 to 120 ppb (post-monsoon). Factor analysis illustrates that the lower concentrations of uranium in the study region may be due to the poor dissolution of minerals in the subsurface. Saturation Index values confirm that the Uraninite mineral is undersaturated, and the U4O9 has dominant distribution during both seasons. During both seasons, four samples have a uranium concentration of more than 60 ppb, which might be due to the fertilizer usage in the agricultural activities in the study area. The GIS technique highlights the uranium-contaminated location and polluted water quality parameters using the Inverse Distance Weighted spatial interpolation plots.