Ph) to Monitor the Multi Temporal Change in Ground Water Quality Using Geospatial Techniques: a Case Study of Nagapattinam District
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JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 Potential of Hydrogen (pH) to monitor the multi temporal change in ground water quality using geospatial techniques: A Case Study of Nagapattinam District S.Vijayakumar*, M.Sakthivel**, S.Murugesan*, K.Narmada* *Research Scholars Department of Geography, University of Madras Chennai. **Associate Professor Department of Geography, University of Madras Chennai. ABSTRACT Water Resource management is very important for sustained use of natural resources and is vital for existence of mankind. Groundwater plays a significant role due to its easy availability and low cost inputs for use. The present study deals with the monitoring of Spatiotemporal changes in groundwater condition especially Potential of Hydrogen (PH) for drinking quality in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu State, India. PH is one of the most significant parameters in acid-base neutralization and water quality for drinking purpose. In this study samples were collected from seventeen (17) and analysed for all over the region for direct interpretation. The groundwater quality data from 1997 to 2017 of pre-monsoon and post monsoon for each year have been used in the present research paper. In addition, spatial and temporal Change detection of water quality maps were generated using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation technique using Arc GIS software. Groundwater quality especially Potential of Hydrogen (PH) data at 10 year interval has been considered for monitoring the changes for the period of study. The Long-term variations have also been monitored by using data of 1997-2017 to understand the changing groundwater system, vulnerable condition as well as management of water quality for sustainable usage for human activity in the research area. The study revealed the trend in average groundwater in Potential Hydrogen (PH) range in 1997 post monsoon (January) from 7.90 to 8.89 in 2007 to 8.30 to 8.79, in 2017 to 7.70 to 8.79 respectively. In addition Potential Hydrogen (PH) range in 1997 pre monsoon (July) from 7.90 to 8.79, in 2007 from 8.10 to 8.69 in year 2017 from 7.70 to 8.59 has been recorded over the research area respectively. The probable reason for this trend is poor groundwater quality in southern and north-eastern parts of the district which is a dangerous condition for the farmers to be used. The range of values have been classified into five categories of groundwater potential zones in research area such as Very Good, Good, Poor and Very Poor and un suitable for drinking in groundwater potential zones. The result generally depicts the groundwater potential zones in the study area and found to be helpful in better planning and management of groundwater resources in coastal district of Nagapattinam. Keywords: Water Quality, Potential of Hydrogen, Spatial Distribution GIS, IDW, BIS, Nagapattinam Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:1137 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 1. Background of the study Groundwater is considered as one of the most important water resources in the world (Gholami et al., 2010; Sherif et al., 2012; Neshat et al., 2015; Javadi et al., 2017). Groundwater is one of the most valuable natural resources, which supports human being health, economic expansion and ecological multiplicity. The availability and quality of water always have played an important part in determining not only people can live, but also their quality of life. Even though there always has been plenty of fresh water on earth, water has not always been available when and where it is needed, nor is it always of suitable quality for all uses. Accessibility to water is one of the major global challenges whose impacts are largely felt in the developing countries. One of the Millennium development goals is to increase the accessibility of the population to improved sources of drinking water. Kiplangat Cherono Nelly,(2016). Water must be considered as a finite resource that has limits and boundaries to its availability and suitability for use. Groundwater has an important role in the environments it replenishes streams, rivers, and wetlands and helps to support wildlife habitat it is used as primary source of drinking water and also in agricultural and industrial activities. Rani Reeta and Chaudhary B.S. (2016). Ground water quality in nagapattinam district pH is reatic aquifers, colourless, odourless and predominantly alkaline in nature. In addition more than 50% of the samples, pH value is > 8.00 of the district. Saline ground waters are observed at southern part and eastern part of the research area. It is observed that the ground water is suitable for drinking and domestic uses in respect of all the constituents except total hardness and nitrate in about 83% of samples. CGWB (2008). Water quality is an important aspect of water resource. The quality of water is related to the source whether it is improved or unimproved. Contamination of ground water can occur due to natural or anthropogenic causes. Water quality in surface waters is a critical issue since they are used in domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. Therefore, proper water management strategies should be taken care of to protect water bodies. (Ece Kilic, et. al (2018).Water is the only liquid naturally available on earth that can be used for quenching the thirst to various day to day essential needs. The major source of water is surface water and groundwater that serves multipurpose drinking, cleaning, washing, irrigation, industrial uses. Groundwater has proven to be a crucial source of water supply in semi-arid countries under water stress. With the increase in groundwater use, both qualitative and quantitative changes are inevitable. Today water managers in every water basin face severe and growing challenges in their efforts to meet the rapidly escalating demand for water while maintaining the integrity of water resources Augustina Clara Alexander et. al (2017) Water is a limited natural resource. Therefore, preserving water is very important for protection of our environment. Various water quality monitoring systems have been developed to measure concentration of the constituents in quantity for characterisation of water for different uses. Around the world, groundwater resources are under increasing pressure caused by the intensification of human activities and other factors such as climate changes. Groundwater is a significant part of the hydrologic cycle, containing 21 percent of Earth's freshwater. Groundwater comprises 97 percent of fresh water which is locked up as ice and snow in polar ice sheets, glaciers, and snowfields. This greatly exceeds the amount of water in streams, rivers, and lakes. Excessive pumping of water from an aquifer may result in an area wide Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:1138 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 lowering of the water table (Babu et al., 2011). This will eventually occur any place where more water is pumped than is recharged by infiltrating precipitation. Over drafting from an aquifer may result in changes in groundwater quality, a reduction in groundwater availability and hence the loss of water supply to current and future wells, and perhaps even a permanent loss of the aquifer's capacity to store water. Groundwater nitrate contents in the western desert fringes of Luxo Governorate revealed high levels of pollution ([NO3¯] ≥50 mg L−1) in a large part of its territory. It was also observed high levels of Pb and Cd above the limits established by WHO (2011). Groundwater is an important source of irrigation which caters to more than 45% of the total irrigation in the country. People’s lives and livelihoods depend on water. Demand for clean water increases continuously with world population growth. Many areas of the world lack the fresh, drinkable water essential to survival of mankind (Anderson, 1992). It has now become evident in many countries of the world that groundwater is one of the most valuable natural resources, which supports human health, economic development and ecological diversity. Water is essential for sustenance of life. Emerging urbanization, industrialization and population explosion in Chennai city are some of the factors for ground water deteriorations. German Amali Jacintha.T et al., (2015) 2. Potential of Hydrogen (pH) and Water Quality pH or the "potential of hydrogen" is a measure of the meditation of hydrogen ions of the water. For this measurement indicates the acidity or alkalinity of the ground water quality. On the potential of Hydrogen range of 0-14, a reading of 7 is considered to be "Neutral". Reading below 7 point towards acidic situation, while readings above 7 indicate the water is alkaline or basic. Naturally occurring fresh waters have a pH range between 6 and 8. The pH of the water is important because it affects the solubility and availability of nutrients, and how they can be utilized by aquatic organisms. It is one of the significant factors that give out as a pointer of contamination of water body. The pH of a solution is the negative common logarithm of the hydrogen ion activity: pH = −log (H+) In water down solutions, the hydrogen ion activity is roughly equivalent to the hydrogen ion. Volume VI, Issue I, January/2019 Page No:1139 JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131 Basically Potential Hydrogen is one of the most significant parameters in acid-base neutralization and water softening. The pH values for groundwater samples ranges from 6.5 to 8.5 respectively followed by BIS (Bureau of Indian Standard) and WHO (World Health Organization). The permissible range of pH for drinking or for domestic use is from 6.5-8.5. If the pH is found outside the permissible limit, it is somewhat problem for the ground water quality.