Hydrogeochemistry of High Fluoride Groundwater to Understand the Suitability of Groundwater for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes in Granulite Belt Part of Bhopalpatnam Area, Bijapur District, Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

Present study describes the hydrogeochemistry of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh, with the aim to understand fluoride concentration by geochemical behavior of groundwater, from recharge to discharge through factors such as rock weathering, aquifer lithology, cation exchange etc. Sixty-two representative groundwater samples from Bijapur District were collected during two different seasons pre-monsoon and post-monsoon (2016) and analyzed for major cations and anions. Results clearly demonstrate that the seasonal effect imposes a serious impact on the concentration of ions due to the dilution of water in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. High concentration of fluoride is observed during pre-monsoon (3.58 mg/L) and post-monsoon (3.12 mg/L) periods which are higher than the BIS permissible limit i.e. 1.5 mg/L. Gibbs diagram shows rock-water interaction dominance and evaporation dominance, which are responsible for the change in the quality of water in hard rock aquifer of the study area. Suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purpose also assessed this study. Considering the findings from the present study, the study area needs special attention to ensure the supply of potable water to maintain sustainable life.