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Environmental Earth Sciences

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01-06-2014 | Original Article

Hydrogeochemical assessment of groundwater quality along the coastal aquifers of southern Tamil Nadu, India

Authors: N. Chandrasekar, S. Selvakumar, Y. Srinivas, J. S. John Wilson, T. Simon Peter, N. S. Magesh

Published in: Environmental Earth Sciences | Issue 11/2014

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Abstract

Hydrogeochemical investigation of groundwater has been carried out in the coastal aquifers of southern Tamil Nadu, India. Seventy-nine dug well samples were collected and analyzed for various physicochemical parameters. The result of the geochemical analysis indicates the groundwater in the study area is slightly alkaline with moderate saline water. The cation and anion concentrations confirm most of the groundwater samples belong to the order of Na⁺ > Mg²⁺ > Ca²⁺ > K⁺ and Cl⁻ > SO₄ ²⁻ > HCO₃ ⁻. Thereby three major hydrochemical facies (Ca–Cl, mixed Ca–Mg–Cl and Na–Cl) were identified. Based on the US Salinity diagram, majority of the samples fall under medium to very high salinity with low to high sodium hazard. The cross plot of Ca²⁺+ Mg²⁺ versus chloride shows 61 % of the samples fall under saline water category. Higher EC, TDS and Cl concentrations were observed from Tiruchendur to Koodankulam coastal zone. It indicates that these regions are significantly affected by saltwater contamination due to seawater intrusion, saltpan deposits, and beach placer mining activities.

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Title: Hydrogeochemical assessment of groundwater quality along the coastal aquifers of southern Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: N. Chandrasekar
S. Selvakumar
Y. Srinivas
J. S. John Wilson
T. Simon Peter
N. S. Magesh
Publication date: 01-06-2014
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Environmental Earth Sciences / Issue 11/2014
Print ISSN: 1866-6280
Electronic ISSN: 1866-6299
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2864-3

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