Identification of Groundwater Arsenic Contaminated Vulnerability Zones in Alluvial Tract of West Bengal, India

Forfattere

  • Rolee Kanchan The M.S.University of Baroda
  • Tathagata Ghosh The M.S.University of Baroda

Nøgleord:

Alluvium tract, Arsenic contamination, Intermediate aquifer, West Bengal, Vulnerability zones

Resumé

Underground water is regarded to be free from all types of pollutants hence it is considered to be safe for drinking. Consequentially, it is a predominant source of drinking water in several parts of the world particularly in the developing countries. Regrettably, empirical studies have also been conducted in other parts of the World and it is found that in twenty countries the subsurface water is contaminated with arsenic. Serious arsenic contamination is reported along River Bhagirathi in Ganga–Brahmaputra delta in the linear tract of 470 km. The occurrence of arsenic in groundwater is mainly in the intermediate aquifer, the deeper aquifers were free from contamination. Arsenic mobilization in water is favored by desorption of arsenic from iron and other metals oxides. In Bengal Plains such conditions tend to occur in shallow aquifers in quaternary strata underlying the regions large alluvial and deltaic plains. The occurrence of arsenic in groundwater is influenced by local geology, geo chemistry and hydrology of the alluvial aquifers. The present study envisages studying the spatial pattern of groundwater contamination in West Bengal and identifies the arsenic contaminated vulnerability zones. Spatial variation in respect to the depth and proximity to river Bhagirathi is noticed in the alluvial tract. Keywords: Alluvium tract, Arsenic contamination, Intermediate aquifer, West Bengal, Vulnerability zones

Forfatterbiografier

  • Rolee Kanchan, The M.S.University of Baroda
    Professor & HeadDepartment of GeographyFaculty of ScienceThe M.S.University of BarodaVadodara 390 002 (Gujarat)
  • Tathagata Ghosh, The M.S.University of Baroda
    Research ScholarDepartment of GeographyFaculty of Science

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Publiceret

2012-05-10

Nummer

Årg. 2 Nr. 1 (2012)

Sektion

Case Study

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