Evaluation of uranium contamination of Raipur district of Chhattisgarh: GIS assisted hydrogeochemical study of underground water

Abstract

This study analyzed uranium contamination in groundwater samples from the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh (India), its mobilization with complexing anions, and its effect on the overall water quality index of the studied area. Seventy-three groundwater samples were taken during the pre- and post-monsoon seasons in May and September respectively. All of the collected samples were analyzed for uranium and associated water quality factors. Analytical data such as pH, ORP, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, sulphate, nitrate, bicarbonate, chloride, and fluoride were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, factor, and hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis. The groundwater quality of the research area has been evaluated by calculating the water quality index of sampled water. It was discovered that uranium and chloride had a weak relationship prior to the monsoons and a strong relationship afterwards. Chloride may therefore play a crucial role in the mobilization of uranium. ArcGIS 10.3 with IDW interpolation was used for uranium concentration and water quality index (WQI) presentation. It was found that the sequential increase of uranium in groundwater by geogenic processes may be the root cause of water quality index degradation in the research area.