Factor and cluster analysis of water quality data of the groundwater wells of Kushtia, Bangladesh: Implication for arsenic enrichment and mobilization

The study area is located in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. Twenty-six groundwater samples were collected from both shallow and deep tube wells ranging in depth from 20 to 60 m. Multivariate statistical analyses including factor analysis, cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling were appl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of the Geological Society of India Vol. 81; no. 3; pp. 377 - 384
Main Authors Hossain, Md. Golzar, Selim Reza, A. H. M., Lutfun-Nessa, Mst, Ahmed, Syed Samsuddin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published India Springer-Verlag 01.03.2013
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Arsenic
Arsenic content
Cluster analysis
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Factor analysis
Geology
Groundwater
Groundwater data
Groundwater pollution
Hydrogeology
Statistical analysis
Water analysis
Water chemistry
Water quality
Water sampling
Water wells
Bangladesh
Hierarchical Cluster analysis
Groundwater
Arsenic
Piper
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Summary:The study area is located in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. Twenty-six groundwater samples were collected from both shallow and deep tube wells ranging in depth from 20 to 60 m. Multivariate statistical analyses including factor analysis, cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling were applied to the hydrogeochemical data. The results show that a few factors adequately represent the traits that define water chemistry. The first factor of Fe and HCO 3 is strongly influenced by bacterial Fe (III) reduction which would raise both Fe and HCO 3 concentrations in water. Na, Cl, Ca, Mg and PO 4 are grouped under the second factor representing the salinity sources of waters. The third factor, represented by As, Mn, SO 4 and K is related to As mobilization processes. Cluster analysis has been applied for the interpretation of the groundwater quality data. Initially Piper methods have been employed to obtain a first idea on the water types in the study area. Hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out for further classification of water types in the study area. Twelve components, namely, pH, Fe, Mn, As, Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO 3 , Cl, SO 4 and NO 3 have been used for this purpose. With hierarchical clustering analysis the water samples have been classified into 3 clusters. They are very high, high and moderately As-enriched groundwater as well as groundwater with elevated SO 4 .
ISSN:0016-7622
0974-6889
DOI:10.1007/s12594-013-0048-0