Abstract
The present study demonstrates a GIS-based spatial evaluation of fluoride contamination (FC) in groundwater vis-a-vis geology and geomorphology of the area using analytical hierarchy process and weighted sum method in Palamu district of Jharkhand. The integration and analyses of the various thematic databases along with the field sampled fluoride data proved useful in delineating the FC zones. The FC index ranged between 141 and 707, and was classified into four zones, viz., low, moderate, high, and very high zones of FC. The FC index map showed that a total of 49.75% of the study area lies between high to very high FC zone. The very high FC zone is found in the moderately weathered plateau with granitic terrain, whereas the high and moderately FC zones covering 49.31 and 36.41% of the study area are dominated by plateau weathered shallow, pediment–inselberg complex, pediplain moderately weathered, pediplain shallow weathered, and inselberg which have high fluoride. The lowest FC zone covers an area of 193.27 sq. km (13.84%). The spatial analysis of geology with fluoride showed that groundwater within granitic gneiss exhibits high FC followed by granitoid gneiss and alluvium. Geomorphologically highest FC was recorded in plateau weathered moderate (91.67%) followed by plateau weathered shallow (71.43%), flood plain (41.76%), inselberg (27.27%), and pediment (25%). The spatial analysis of groundwater yield with fluoride showed that regions having good yield exhibit maximum FC thereby accelerating the vulnerability of the population to fluorosis.
Highlights
Groundwater composition in a region depends on natural and that of the anthropogenic processes (Leung et al 2005) which can alter or modify the natural system of hydrological cycle (Gaciri and Davies 1993)
The present study helped in delineating the regions having excessive fluoride contamination in the four blocks of Palamu district, viz., Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Chainpur, and Pandu, using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted sum method (WSM) in geographical information system (GIS) platform
The results revealed that groundwater in the study area in larger part is under moderate-to-high fluoride contamination
Summary
Groundwater composition in a region depends on natural (such as the wet and dry deposition of atmospheric salts, evapotranspiration, and soil/rock–water interactions) and that of the anthropogenic processes (Leung et al 2005) which can alter or modify the natural system of hydrological cycle (Gaciri and Davies 1993). The type and extent of chemical contamination of the groundwater is largely dependent on the geochemistry of soil through which water flows while reaching the aquifers (Johnson 1979), and on the dry or wet climatic zones (Dissanayake 1991). Its concentration in the environment is highly variable and is often dependent on the presence of particular types of rocks, minerals, and water. Zhu et al (2007) showed that soil can be expected to contain elevated dissolved fluoride concentrations with depth in an area where granite is the main
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