title: Identification of fluoride contamination with the interaction of physico-chemical characteristics in groundwater of Jodhpur (India).
abstract: A hydrogeochemical investigation has been carried out in Jodhpur district of western Rajasthan in India. The investigated area has been classified into four types with reference to concentration of F(-) prescribed for drinking: low-F(-) (< 1.0 mgl(-1)), moderate-F(-) (1.0-1.50 mgl(-1)) , high-F(-) (1.5-3.0 mgl-(1)) and very high-F(-) ( > 3.0 mgl(-1)). Twenty three percent of the total groundwater samples belong to the very high-F(-) category, Twenty two percent samples belong to the high-F(-) category, Thirty four percent samples belong to the moderate-F(-) category and twenty one percent samples belong to the low-F(-) category. The correlation study suggests a positive correlation (r = 0.396) between the pH and fluoride concentration, indicating that higher alkalinity of the water promotes the leaching of fluoride and thus affect the concentration of fluoride in groundwaters. Highest positive correlation coefficient was observed between fluoride and alkalinity (r = 0.516) indicating that alkalinity favors the higher values of fluoride in the study area. The regression equations have been developed by taking fluoride as dependent variable and other water quality parameters as independent variable. Possible sources of fluoride (F(-)) are weathering and leaching of F(-) bearing minerals under the alkaline environment. Arid environment, high rate of evapotranspiration and longer residence time of waters in the aquifer zone are the supplementary factors to further increase the F(-) content in the ground waters.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Modi
authors.forename: Pushpendra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D007194:India; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D005459:Fluorides