EVALUATION OF NITRATE, FLUORIDE AND HEAVY METALS CONTAMINATION IN UNDERGROUND WATER OF SAURASHTRA REGION 3702
Loading...
Files
Date
2023-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
jau junagadh
Abstract
Saurashtra region, underground water, nitrate content, fluoride, heavy
metals, per cent distribution, correlation
An investigation was undertaken to study underground water quality of
Saurashtra region of Gujarat state. Total 750 underground water samples were collected
from wells or bore wells of all 75 talukas of ten districts of Saurashtra region in Gujarat
state during the year of 2021. The water samples were collected by using GPS and
analyzed for various quality parameters like nitrate, fluoride and heavy metals (Pb, Cd,
Cu and Zn).
The analytical results revealed that the nitrate content in underground water
samples collected from entire Saurashtra region varied from 0.00 to 272.00 mg/l with a
mean value of 19.37 mg/l. The lowest (0.00 mg/l) nitrate value was recorded in samples
collected from Surendranagar district and highest (272.00 mg/l) was recorded in
Bhavnagar district. Out of total 750 analysed underground water samples 93 per cent
of them had nitrate level within the permissible limit of <45 mg/l, whereas 7 per cent
of the samples had nitrate concentration greater than >45 mg/l.
Further revealing of data showed that the overall fluoride values of the entire
Saurashtra region varied from 0.00 to 31.60 mg/l with mean value of 1.324 mg/l.
Highest mean value of fluoride content (2.405 mg/l) and highest value of fluoride
(31.60 mg/l) were found in the samples from Surendranagar district. Out of total 750
underground water samples 67 per cent groundwater samples had fluoride content less
ABSTRACT
than permissible limits (<1 mg/l), whereas more than 1 mg/l fluoride content was found
in 33 per cent samples so they fall into safe and unsafe classes for irrigation,
respectively.
In Saurashtra region the proportions of Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn ranged from 0.005
to 0.189, 0.001 to 0.016, 0.008 to 0.105 and 0.003 to 0.065 mg/l with a mean value of
0.043 mg/l, 0.005 mg/l, 0.026 mg/l and 0.017 mg/l, respectively. The results showed
that the Pb, Cu and Zn concentration were within the permissible limits for irrigation
of 5 mg/l, 0.2 mg/l and 2 mg/l, respectively except Cd. The data showed that 2 per cent
of the samples contained Cd concentration of greater than permissible level (>0.01
mg/l) so they categorised as unsafe. Amreli district was found to have the highest mean
Cd value (0.006 mg/l) in underground water samples.
As per correlation analysis, the pH was highly significantly positively
correlated with F-
(r = 0.285**), Cu (r = 0.164**) and Zn (r = 0.141**). The highly
significant correlation observed between EC with NO3
-
(r = 0.126**) and F-
(r =
0.154**). The highly significant positive correlation of Pb with Cu (r = 0.205**) was
observed. The Cu was highly significantly positively correlated with Zn (r = 0.312**).