Study of Seasonal Variation in Groundwater Quality of Sagar City (India) by Principal Component Analysis

Hemant Pathak,S N Limaye

doi:10.1155/2011/765749

Abstract

Groundwater is one of the major resources of the drinking water in Sagar city (India.). In this study 15 sampling station were selected for the investigations on 14 chemical parameters. The work was carried out during different months of the pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in June 2009 to June 2010. The multivariate statistics such as principal component and cluster analysis were applied to the datasets to investigate seasonal variations in groundwater quality. Principal axis factoring has been used to observe the mode of association of parameters and their interrelationships, for evaluating water quality. Average value of BOD, COD, ammonia and iron was high during entire study period. Elevated values of BOD and ammonia in monsoon, slightly more value of BOD in post-monsoon, BOD, ammonia and iron in pre-monsoon period reflected contribution on temporal effect on groundwater. Results of principal component analysis evinced that all the parameters equally and significantly contribute to groundwater quality variations. Factor 1 and factor 2 analysis revealed the DO value deteriorate due to organic load (BOD/Ammonia) in different seasons. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped 15 stations into four clusters in monsoon, five clusters in post-monsoon and five clusters in pre-monsoon with similar water quality features. Clustered group at monsoon, post-monsoon and pre-monsoon consisted one station exhibiting significant spatial variation in physicochemical composition. The anthropogenic nitrogenous species, as fallout from modernization activities. The study indicated that the groundwater sufficiently well oxygenated and nutrient-rich in study places.

Highlights

Good drinking water quality is essential for the well-being of all people which has affected the health and economic status of the populations
The average values of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), ammonia and iron recorded highest in monsoon compare to post-monsoon, which could be due to acidification of water by elevated microbial degradation of organic debris and concentrated dissolved solids in monsoon period
Comparing the mean values of groundwater quality parameters of Sagar city it can be concluded that variables – TDS, TH are slightly higher and Alkalinity, Cl are lower in the post-monsoon period than in the pre-monsoon

Summary

Introduction

Good drinking water quality is essential for the well-being of all people which has affected the health and economic status of the populations. Groundwater is the major source of water for drinking, agricultural and industrial desires[1]. Concentrations of chemical parameters such as pH, DO, BOD, COD, alkalinity, chloride, o-phosphate, nitrate, TDS, conductivity, TH, fluoride, ammonia and iron in groundwater samples were determined by using standard analytical methods[2]. Multivariate analysis is a statistical technique for simultaneous analysis of two or more variables observed from one or more sample objects. The main objective of this analysis was to estimate the extent or amount of relationship among the variables along with the study of mean, deviation, variance and some other characteristics[3]. Factor analysis, cluster analysis and similarity matrix analysis are the main components of the interdependent multivariate analysis and are called data reduction techniques

Objectives

Results

Conclusion