Spatial and temporal variation of uranium in a shallow weathered rock aquifer in southern India

Brindha, K.; Elango, L.; Nair, R. N.

doi:10.1007/s12040-011-0117-y

Cited by 55 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Due to poor management, landfills [21,22] and municipal wastewater [23] have been the source of groundwater and soil pollution especially in developing countries. Occurrence of metals in groundwater in areas possessing mineral deposits and associated mining activities are common [24][25][26][27]. Potential risk of heavy metal contamination due to application of fertilisers was reported by many others [28][29][30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa

Elumalai

Brindha

Elango

2017

Water

134

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Heavy metals in surface and groundwater were analysed and their sources were identified using multivariate statistical tools for two towns in South Africa. Human exposure risk through the drinking water pathway was also assessed. Electrical conductivity values showed that groundwater is desirable to permissible for drinking except for six locations. Concentration of aluminium, lead and nickel were above the permissible limit for drinking at all locations. Boron, cadmium, iron and manganese exceeded the limit at few locations. Heavy metal pollution index based on ten heavy metals indicated that 85% of the area had good quality water, but 15% was unsuitable. Human exposure dose through the drinking water pathway indicated no risk due to boron, nickel and zinc, moderate risk due to cadmium and lithium and high risk due to silver, copper, manganese and lead. Hazard quotients were high in all sampling locations for humans of all age groups, indicating that groundwater is unsuitable for drinking purposes. Highly polluted areas were located near the coast, close to industrial operations and at a landfill site representing human-induced pollution. Factor analysis identified the four major pollution sources as: (1) industries; (2) mining and related activities; (3) mixed sources-geogenic and anthropogenic and (4) fertilizer application.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa

Elumalai

Brindha

Elango

2017

Water

134

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“…Uranium concentrations in soil samples of the study area are shown in Table II. The uranium concentration in groundwater in the study area and a part of Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India, has been reported to be in the range of 0.2 ppb to 68 ppb with a mean of 18.5 ppb (Brindha et al, 2011). The uranium concentration in groundwater changes depending on lithology, degree of weathering and rainfall recharge.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Variation in the uranium isotopic ratios²³⁴U/²³⁸U,²³⁸U/total-U and²³⁴U/total-U in Indian soil samples: Application to environmental monitoring

et al. 2012

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The uranium isotopes 238 U, 235 U and 234 U are found naturally in the environment.238 U and 235 U are parent nuclides of two independent decay series of isotopes, while 234 U is a member of the 238 U decay chain. When decay series occur in a closed system the series tends to reach, with time, the state of secular equilibrium in which the activities of all series members are equal to the activity of its first nuclide. The activity ratio 234 U/ 238 U in natural uranium may vary as a consequence of decay chain disequilibrium due to alpha recoil and biogeochemical processes. A study based on measurement of uranium concentration and 234 U/ 238 U activity ratios in soil samples collected from Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India, a proposed mining site, was carried out to find the spatial distribution of uranium and the state of secular equilibrium of 234 U/ 238 U to examine the possibility of applying uranium concentration and uranium isotopic activity ratios to detect any hydrogeochemical changes in the environment during/post-operation. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for uranium concentration using the conventional UV fluorimetric method, showing a uranium concentration in the range of 0.7 ± 0.2 ppm to 7.9 ± 0.4 ppm with an average of 3.4 ppm, and 234 U/ 238 U activity ratios were estimated using the alpha spectrometry technique, showing an activity ratio in the range of 0.92 ± 0.11 to 1.02 ± 0.11. The 234 U/ 238 U activity ratio obtained indicated that these two uranium isotopes are in the state of secular radioactive equilibrium. The percent activity ratio of 238 U/total U and 234 U /total U is observed to vary from 47.94 ± 4.83 to 50.76 ± 4.87 and 45.80 ± 3.83 to 49.14 ± 3.99, respectively.

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“…Factor 2 has high positive loadings on Na, K, HCO 3 , and NO 3 with a variance of 13.77 % indicating the leaching of nitrate from fertilizer in agricultural lands to groundwater and thus increases these ions in groundwater (Chidambaram et al 2013) because of the onset of agricultural activity during SWM. U, 222 Rn, and PO 4 has a positive loading on factor 3 with a variance of (Brindha et al 2011). Factor 4 has positive loadings on F with a variance of 8.74 %; it also represented poor positive loadings of pH indicating the dissolution of F in groundwater (Yidana et al 2008b).…”

Section: Swmmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Factor 3 samples show strong positive loadings of U and 222 Rn with 10 % of total variance which explains the occurrence of U and 222 Rn in groundwater; it may be evolved due to dissolution and leaching of U ions from the weathering process (Brindha et al 2011). Factor 4 samples have strong positive loadings on pH, H 4 SiO 4 , and F with 8.5 % of total variance which illustrates the pH-enhanced dissolution of F due to weathering processes (Manikandan et al 2012).…”

Section: Factor Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

A multivariate statistical approach to identify the spatio-temporal variation of geochemical process in a hard rock aquifer

Thivya

Chidambaram

Thilagavathi

et al. 2015

Environ Monit Assess

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A study has been carried out in crystalline hard rock aquifers of Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, to identify the spatial and temporal variations and to understand sources responsible for hydrogeochemical processes in the region. Totally, 216 samples were collected for four seasons [premonsoon (PRM), southwest monsoon (SWM), northeast monsoon (NWM), and postmonsoon (POM)]. The Na and K ions are attributed from weathering of feldspars in charnockite and fissile hornblende gneiss. The results also indicate that monsoon leaches the U ions in the groundwater and later it is reflected in the (222)Rn levels also. The statistical relationship on the temporal data reflects the fact that Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, HCO3, and SO4 form the spinal species, which are the chief ions playing the significant role in the geochemistry of the region. The factor loadings of the temporal data reveal the fact that the predominant factor is anthropogenic process and followed by natural weathering and U dissolution. The spatial analysis of the temporal data reveals that weathering is prominent in the NW part and that of distribution of U and (222)Rn along the NE part of the study area. This is also reflected in the cluster analysis, and it is understood that lithology, land use pattern, lineaments, and groundwater flow direction determine the spatial variation of these ions with respect to season.

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Spatial and temporal variation of uranium in a shallow weathered rock aquifer in southern India

Cited by 55 publications

References 19 publications

Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa

Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa

Variation in the uranium isotopic ratios²³⁴U/²³⁸U,²³⁸U/total-U and²³⁴U/total-U in Indian soil samples: Application to environmental monitoring

A multivariate statistical approach to identify the spatio-temporal variation of geochemical process in a hard rock aquifer

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Spatial and temporal variation of uranium in a shallow weathered rock aquifer in southern India

Cited by 55 publications

References 19 publications

Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa

Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa

Variation in the uranium isotopic ratios234U/238U,238U/total-U and234U/total-U in Indian soil samples: Application to environmental monitoring

A multivariate statistical approach to identify the spatio-temporal variation of geochemical process in a hard rock aquifer

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Variation in the uranium isotopic ratios²³⁴U/²³⁸U,²³⁸U/total-U and²³⁴U/total-U in Indian soil samples: Application to environmental monitoring