19-Groundwater Quality Investigations of Moth Block of Jhansi District Bundelkhand Region.

Abstract

In recent years, the increasing threat to ground water quality due to human activities has become a matter of great concern. Jhansi area sprawling and incoming of new industries around it have increased concern about the fate of groundwater quality. The report presents an assessment of hydrochemistry and groundwater quality index of Moth block of district Thansi. Twenty groundwater samples from different places of study area (Moth block) were collected and analyzed for pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Total Hardness (TH), Calcium (Ca2+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Bicarbonate (HCO3), Sulphate (S042-), Nitrate (N031, Fluoride (F-) and Chloride (cn. The samples were analysed following standard method. The variations observed were in pH (7.16-7.87), EC (460-2106 1S/cm), TDS (261.82-1360 mg/L), Na+ (25.65-209.37 mg/L), K+ (0.43-12.31 mg/L), TH (75.57-792.77 mg/L), Ca2+ (10.90- 256.89 mg/L), Mg2+ (8.34-75.89 mg/L), HCO3(253.25-612.75 mg/L), S042- (0.61-247.12 mg/L), NO3 (2.64-127.61 mg/L) (0.36-6.11 mg/L) and D-(3.52-4.23.25 mg/L). Chemical analyses of water samples showed that calcium and bicarbonate are the dominant cation and anion, respectively. The water type is Ca-Mg-HCO3 based on hydro-chemical faces using Piper's diagram. The results were compared with the drinking water standard (BIS 10500: 2012) to assess the suitability for drinking purpose and water quality indicators viz., sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and percent sodium (%Na) were determined to assess the suitability for irrigation purpose. The results revealed that the groundwater in the study area is suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes. Bacteriological analysis variations observed were in TC (0-1100 per 100 ml MPN) and FC (0- 460 per 100 ml MPN). As we know that according to BIS TC and FC in ground water shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample for drinking purpose. Toxicity of a metal depends on its concentration, which adversely affects any biological activity. Almost all the metals are toxic at higher concentration; few of them are toxic in low concentration quantity but few others are even in trace e.g. As, Pb, Hg , Cd, etc. The presence of such metals in ground water is a subject of serious concern. Groundwater which contains higher amount of metals and large or trace quantity of toxic metals, affects health to a great extent when

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it is used for drinking and domestic purposes. The impact of trace metal in drinking water is generally cumulative, by which the prolonged use of such waters is dangerous for health. Hence the measurement of trace elements concentration and analysis of their periodicity of fluctuation and trend is necessary. The study revealed that the concentrations of Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb crossed the minimum permissible limits of BIS in the most of sites and alarming condition. The concentration of As, Cd, Co, Cu and Zn The maximum concentration of Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb were recorded as 4.927, 0.0545, 16.822, 0.354, 0.030, and 0.011 respectively. For the Drinking Water Quality Index observed 45%, 35%, 20% collected samples were under poor, marginal, fair designation respectively. The collected samples show 45%, 35%, 15%, 5% belong to marginal, poor, fair, good designation respectively in the terms of HWQI where the collected samples of study area were 60%,20%, 10%, 10% belong to marginal, poor, fair, good designation respectively in the terms of AWQI. The residents of these areas should be provided with some alternate source of water for drinking or the available groundwater should be utilized after treatment.