Major and Trace Element Characterization of Shallow Groundwater in Coastal Alluvium of Chidambaram Town, Cuddalore District, South India

摘要

Hydrogeochemical investigation of groundwater of Chidambaram town has been carried out to assess the suitability for drinking uses and the source for the ions acquisition process. Geologically, the area comes under the alluvial zone and is followed by tertiary formation, includes sands, sand stone, laterite, clayey black and stiff clay. The water level varies from 6 m to 10 m bgl. Twenty groundwater samples are collected and analysed for pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), major cations Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+ and anions , Cl-, . The trace elements of Zn, Pb, Cr, Fe, Cd, Cu and Mn are determined. Study results reveal that groundwater in study area is a fresh water type. The pH, EC and TDS are noticed high and sequence of abundance of the major ions is Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+ and Cl- > > . The Stufzand chloride classification indicates that the groundwater is derived from precipitations and Scholler classification shown type I. Hydrochemical facies of groundwater are Ca2+ > Na+ > Cl- and saturation index shows that nearly all the water samples are under saturated with respect to carbonate (calcite, dolomite and aragonite) and sulfate (gypsum and anhydrite) minerals. Except Zn, other elements of Fe, Pb, Cr, Mn, Cu, and Cd are found high and above the permissible limit of drinking water standard. The ionic concentration present in the groundwater of the study area can be from wastes of commercial activities, domestic sewage and automobiles rather than by ionic exchange and geological formation.