Geogenic and anthropogenic contamination of groundwater in a fragile eco-friendly region of southern Kerala, India

G. Prasad¹*, H. Mamane² and M.V. Ramesh³

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
²School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
³Center for Wireless Networks and Applications (WNA), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India
*Correspondence: geena@am.amrita.edu

Abstract:

In environmentally fragile regions that rely solely on groundwater resources, the hazards to the environment and human health are amplified by geogenic and anthropogenic pollution through the supply and use of groundwater for drinking and irrigation use. Groundwater from borewells in the study area was evaluated through hydrogeochemical analysis of 17 parameters in 2018 and 2019 across three seasons: pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon. The study area, Kainakary, a fragile eco-friendly area in South India, was specifically chosen, as agriculture is the predominant anthropogenic activity in the region and other anthropogenic activities with known negative effects are negligible compared to other parts of India. Despite diligent attention paid to sustainable practices in Kainakary, iron, fluoride, and ammonia components in groundwater exceeded the permissible limits stipulated by the World Health Organization and Indian drinking water standards. Significant need for water resources due to below sea level farming practices of rice cultivation and potable water requirements result in over-extraction of groundwater, an inevitable cause of geogenic pollution. Anthropogenic pollution of groundwater sources was evidenced by the presence of coliform bacteria in samples. Determining the origins of major geogenic and anthropogenic pollutants, as well as understanding irrigation use patterns, play a key role in mitigating the overuse of groundwater sources. This study contributes to evolving strategies for reducing geogenic and anthropogenic pollution and for groundwater management in ecologically fragile areas toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12, which focuses on responsible consumption and production.

Key words:

fluoride, geogenic pollution, groundwater, Kainakary, SDG 12

Groundwater quality against a background of human activities and impact of peatland area

Jacek Jaszczyński¹

¹Experimental Station for Land Reclamation and Grassland Farming in Biebrza19-200 Grajewo, Poland, e-mail: j.jaszczynski@op.pl

Abstract:

The main objective of the study was an analysis of groundwater quality in a well on an extensive agricultural farm located near in the vicinity of peatlands. The influence of peatland and human activities on water quality was analysed. Thirty-six series of water samples were collected for the period from May 2000 to November 2005 from the well located at the farm and from wells located in the transect on the peatland area. In the collected water samples of pH and concentration of N-NO3, N-NH4, P, DOC, Na, K, Fe and Cl were determined. Meanvalues of N-NO3, K, Na and Cl concentrations in water from the farm well were higher thanconcentrations recorded in the control wells from the transect located on the peatland area. Higher N-NH4 and DOC concentrations were observed in water from the peatland. The resultsof these investigations showed that human activities on the farm area have a larger impact on groundwater quality than the peatland located near the farm.

Key words: