Geochemistry and assessment of hydrogeochemical processes in groundwater in the southern part of Bathinda district of Punjab, northwest India

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences Vol. 64; no. 7; pp. 1823 - 1833
• Main Authors: Kuldip-Singh, Hundal, H. S., Dhanwinder-Singh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.12.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biogeosciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Environmental Science and Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Geology; Groundwater; Hydrogeology; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Mineralogy; Original Article; Silicates; Terrestrial Pollution; Water geochemistry; Water resources; Water resources management; Punjab India; Asia; India; India, Punjab; Weathering; Hydrogeochemistry; Punjab; Groundwater; Reverse ion exchange; minerals; mixing; ion exchange; ground water; sulfates; nitrates; urea; irrigation; water resources; land use; aquifers; hydrochemistry; silicates; flow; chlorides; dissolution; bicarbonate ion; weathering; concentration; organic minerals; halides; carbonates; gypsum; hardness; water quality; water resource management; evaporation; monsoons
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-011-0989-9

Hydrogeochemistry of groundwater is important for sustainable development and effective management of the groundwater resource. Fifty-six groundwater samples were collected from shallow tube wells of the intensively cultivated southern part of district Bathinda of Punjab, India, during pre- and post-monsoon seasons. Conventional graphical plots were used to define the geochemical evaluation of aquifer system based on the ionic constituents, water types, hydrochemical facies and factors controlling groundwater quality. Negative values of chloroalkaline indices suggest the prevalence of reverse ion exchange process irrespective of the seasons. A significant effect of monsoon is observed in terms chemical facies as a considerable amount of area with temporary hardness of Ca 2+ –Mg 2+ –HCO 3 − type in the pre-monsoon switched to Ca 2+ –Mg 2+ –Cl − type (18%) followed by Na + –HCO 3 − type (14%) in the post-monsoon. Evaporation is the major geochemical process controlling the chemistry of groundwater process in pre-monsoon; however, in post-monsoon ion exchange reaction dominates over evaporation. Carbonate weathering is the major hydrogeochemical process operating in this part of the district, irrespective of the season. The abundance of Ca 2+  + Mg 2+ in groundwater of Bathinda can be attributed mainly to gypsum and carbonate weathering. Silicate weathering also occurs in a few samples in the post-monsoon in addition to the carbonate dissolution. Water chemistry is deteriorated by land-use activities, especially irrigation return flow and synthetic fertilisers (urea, gypsum, etc.) as indicted by concentrations of nitrate, sulphate and chlorides. Overall, results indicate that different natural hydrogeochemical processes such as simple dissolution, mixing, weathering of carbonate minerals locally known as ‘‘kankar’’ and silicate weathering are the key factors in both seasons.