Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes

Stable isotopes of H and O are the integral parts of water molecule and serve as ideal tracers to understand the recharge processes in groundwater. Hence, a study has been conducted in hard rock aquifers of Madurai District of Tamilnadu to identify the recharge processes using stable isotopes. A tot...

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Main Authors: Thivya, C., Chidambaram, S., Rao, M., Gopalakrishnan, M., Thilagavathi, R., Prasanna, Mohan Viswanathan, Nepolian, M.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Springer 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50223
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author Thivya, C.
Chidambaram, S.
Rao, M.
Gopalakrishnan, M.
Thilagavathi, R.
Prasanna, Mohan Viswanathan
Nepolian, M.
author_facet Thivya, C.
Chidambaram, S.
Rao, M.
Gopalakrishnan, M.
Thilagavathi, R.
Prasanna, Mohan Viswanathan
Nepolian, M.
author_sort Thivya, C.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Stable isotopes of H and O are the integral parts of water molecule and serve as ideal tracers to understand the recharge processes in groundwater. Hence, a study has been conducted in hard rock aquifers of Madurai District of Tamilnadu to identify the recharge processes using stable isotopes. A total of 54 groundwater samples were collected representing the entire district from various lithounits during post monsoon. Samples were analysed for pH, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl− HCO3−, SO42−, PO43−, H4SiO4, F−, δ18O and δD. Cl− and HCO3− were the dominant ions in groundwater samples. Average values of Cl− and HCO3− ranged from 247 and 244 mg/L in fissile hornblende biotite gneiss, 262 and 268 mg/L in Charnockite, 75 and 185 mg/L in quartzite, 323 and 305 mg/L in granite, 524 and 253 mg/L in floodplain alluvium rock types. Geochemical signatures of groundwater were used to identify the chemical processes that control hydrogeochemistry. Interpretation of δ18O and δD indicates recharge from the meteoric water in charnockite, quartzite, granite and some samples of fissile hornblende biotite gneiss. It is also inferred that recharge take place from evaporated water in floodplain alluvium and fissile hornblende biotite gneiss.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-502232017-09-13T15:48:30Z Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes Thivya, C. Chidambaram, S. Rao, M. Gopalakrishnan, M. Thilagavathi, R. Prasanna, Mohan Viswanathan Nepolian, M. Stable isotopes of H and O are the integral parts of water molecule and serve as ideal tracers to understand the recharge processes in groundwater. Hence, a study has been conducted in hard rock aquifers of Madurai District of Tamilnadu to identify the recharge processes using stable isotopes. A total of 54 groundwater samples were collected representing the entire district from various lithounits during post monsoon. Samples were analysed for pH, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl− HCO3−, SO42−, PO43−, H4SiO4, F−, δ18O and δD. Cl− and HCO3− were the dominant ions in groundwater samples. Average values of Cl− and HCO3− ranged from 247 and 244 mg/L in fissile hornblende biotite gneiss, 262 and 268 mg/L in Charnockite, 75 and 185 mg/L in quartzite, 323 and 305 mg/L in granite, 524 and 253 mg/L in floodplain alluvium rock types. Geochemical signatures of groundwater were used to identify the chemical processes that control hydrogeochemistry. Interpretation of δ18O and δD indicates recharge from the meteoric water in charnockite, quartzite, granite and some samples of fissile hornblende biotite gneiss. It is also inferred that recharge take place from evaporated water in floodplain alluvium and fissile hornblende biotite gneiss. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50223 10.1007/s40710-016-0137-3 Springer restricted
spellingShingle Thivya, C.
Chidambaram, S.
Rao, M.
Gopalakrishnan, M.
Thilagavathi, R.
Prasanna, Mohan Viswanathan
Nepolian, M.
Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes
title Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes
title_full Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes
title_fullStr Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes
title_full_unstemmed Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes
title_short Identification of Recharge Processes in Groundwater in Hard Rock Aquifers of Madurai District Using Stable Isotopes
title_sort identification of recharge processes in groundwater in hard rock aquifers of madurai district using stable isotopes
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/50223