Fluoride, Iron and Nitrate affected areas of Punjab

Abstract

The inorganic chemicals present naturally or due to human activity in soils, sediments and rocks enter, as point sources or non-point sources, into groundwater system and degrade its quality thus making it unusable for drinking and irrigation. Identifying the areas affected by these contaminants help in treating the groundwater in such areas. In the present study, the fluoride, iron and nitrate affected areas are mapped in Punjab so that the remedial measures can be taken for making the water utilizable for drinking and irrigation. The concentrations of fluoride, iron and nitrate have been found up to 11.30 mg/l, 25 mg/l and 1180mg/l, respectively. Among the three pollutants nitrate is more intense and widely spread due to unplanned and uncontrolled human activities. The source of fluoride lies deep in Central Himalayas and it is released into water as a result of weathering, deforestation, road construction, fast developing settlements and hill-blasting. The overgrazing, unplanned and unscientific deforestation off the unconsolidated rocks have deleterious effects of high proportion on the soil and water environment and triggers the iron release into water transporting the sediments downslope. It is recommended that these activities should be controlled by mass awareness and legislation in combination