Evaluation of Metal Pollution in Groundwater in the Industrialized Environs in and Around Dindigul, Tamilnadu, India

Abstract

Synoptic hydrogeochemical assessments of physico-chemical and metal concentrations were analyzed to understand the driving forces behind heavy and trace metal pollution dynamics in groundwater systems of the heavily industrialized Dindigul district of Tamilnadu (India). Seasonality in solute dynamics is mainly due to regional differences in recharging capacity of groundwater systems and associated hydrogeochemical processes. Rapid changes in land use coupled with industrialization result in contamination of groundwater with heavy and trace metals like Be, Cr, Mn, Zn, Mo, Ni, Co, As, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Fe. The Pearson correlation and the Principal Component Analysis demonstrate that the complex suite of multidimensional metal pollution sources is influencing the groundwater quality in this region. In addition, pollution indices like heavy metal pollution index (HPI), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), and contamination factor (Cd) were used to characterize the groundwater quality with reference to the water quality standards. All results demonstrate that the Dindigul groundwater quality is severely polluted by a large suite of metals like Be, Cr, Mn, Zn, Mo, Ni, Co, As, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Fe. Hence stringent management policies are highly required to control the industrial pollution and to improve the regional groundwater quality for sustainable development of the regional environment.