Hydrogeochemical contrast between two study areas of Bengal delta, India: A comparative insight to understand arsenic mobilization process in shallow aquifers

Abstract

A comparative hydrogeochemical study evaluated arsenic release mechanism and differences in contamination levels in the shallow groundwater of two areas within the deltaic environment of West Bengal (i.e. Karimpur and Tehatta blocks of Nadia district) in India. Groundwaters from both the areas are Ca-Na(K)-Cl-HCO3 type with highly reducing character (−110.16 ± 16.85 to −60.77 ± 16.93 mV). Low correlations among As, Fe, and Mn and the higher association between As and DOC are indicative of microbial decomposition of organic matter enhancing the weathering of shallow aquifer materials. Arsenic contamination in groundwater is higher in Karimpur (95 ± 81.17 μg/L) than that in Tehatta (43.05 ± 41.06 μg/L). The release mechanism of arsenic into groundwater is very complex. Low Fe (0.27–4.78 mg/L and 0.81–4.13 mg/L), Mn (0.08–0.2 mg/L and 0.03–0.22 mg/L), and SO42− (3.82 ± 0.31 and 2.78 ± 0.40 mg/L) suggest that the mechanism of arsenic release is not a single mechanistic pathway. Clustering of redox-active parameters in the principal component planes indicate that the reductive dissolution, and/or weathering/co-precipitation of Fe/Mn-bearing minerals in the shallow aquifer sediments control the dominant mechanistic pathway of arsenic release.