INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY (IRJC) ISSN 2321 – 2845(Online), 2321 – 3299 (Print) GROUNDWATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN SOME VILLAGES OF VADGAM TALUKA OF BANASKANTHA DISTRICT, GUJARAT, INDIA, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON STUDY OF FLUORIDE AND ITS EFFECTS E.R. AGHARIA DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY, SJIF 2012: 2.545 SVKM’s MITHIBAI COLLEGE, UIF 2013: 1.075 VILE – PARLE (WEST).MUMBAI-400056, INDIA. Received on: Email:
[email protected] 25th June 2014 Revised on: ABSTRACT: Groundwater quality is a very essential hydrogeochemical investigation. 27th June 2014 Springs, shallow wells, deep wells and bored tube wells are the main sources of Accepted on: groundwater. The health of people consuming this water is greatly influenced 27th June 2014 by its quality. Water obtained from different sources is contaminated with a Published on: large number of impurities. The present study deals in detail with 15 physico- chemical parameters viz. pH, total dissolved salts, total alkalinity (as CaCO3) 1st July 2014 conductivity, total hardness (as CaCO3) M.O. alkalinity (as CaCO3), nitrite, Volume No. nitrate, sulphate, chloride, fluoride, sodium, zinc, magnesium and calcium as Online & Print well as 3 microbiological parameters such as total bacterial count at 370C, 6 (2014) coliform and E. coli tests in four bored tube well samples. Their toxicological Page No. and adverse effects, if any, when present beyond the prescribed limits, are also discussed at length. These bored tube well underground waters are obtained 16 to 31 from a depth of about 700-800 feet from the surface of the earth in this area having now a scanty rainfall. The daily ingestion of 2 mg fluoride could result in crippling flourosis after 40 years.