Geochemical assessment of fluoride enriched groundwater and health implications from a part of Yavtmal District, India

• Published in: Human and ecological risk assessment Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 673 - 694
• Main Authors: Marghade, Deepali, Malpe, Deepak B., Subba Rao, N., Sunitha, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boca Raton Taylor & Francis 15.03.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aridity; Calcite; calcium; Calcium carbonate; Cation exchange; Cation exchanging; Chemical precipitation; Computer simulation; Cooking; Dental fluorosis; Dolomite; drinking; feldspar; Fluoride; Fluorides; Fluorite; Fluorosis; geochemical modeling; Geochemistry; Groundwater; Groundwater chemistry; Groundwater quality; Gypsum; Halites; health assessment; hydrochemistry; India; Modelling; monitoring; pollution; Pollution index; pollution index of groundwater; public health; Quality assessment; Quality control; Simulation analysis; simulation models; sodium; Water analysis; Water pollution; Water quality; Water sampling; India
• ISSN: 1080-7039; 1549-7860; 1549-7860
• DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2018.1528862

A comprehensive study was conducted from a semi-arid part of Yavtmal District, Maharashtra, India through combination approaches of geochemical modeling and its health consequences. The groundwater quality assessment shows that 55% of groundwater samples have the concentration of fluoride above the desirable limit. The high Na + /Ca + ratio (>1.0) suggest the occurrence of cation exchange, which is further supported by Scholler' chloro-alkaline indices. The geochemical modeling reveals that the existence of CaCO 3 precipitation and CaF 2 in groundwater. Simulation analysis indicates the dissolution of calcite, gypsum, and albite and precipitation of dolomite, fluorite, halite, and K-feldspar along with cation exchange as the main water-rock interactions influencing the groundwater chemistry. This is further significantly supported by pollution index of groundwater (PIG). PIG indicates about 18% of total samples fall in very high pollution zone, 3% in high pollution zone, 8% in moderate pollution zone, 24% in low pollution zone, and remaining (47%) express insignificant pollution. The 28% of subject studied have skeletal fluorosis varying from mild to severe type. In different pollution zones, the affected persons by dental fluorosis are varying from 15% to 41%. A proper monitoring and treatment are required for high fluoride water before its use for drinking and cooking.