A Preliminary Study on Microplastic Occurrences in Surface Waters of Ousudu Lake, Pondicherry, India.

Microplastics (MP) in both freshwater and marine ecosystem is the next issue that has been recently the fore. However, freshwaters are the potential source and pathway to transport MPs to the marine environment. There is a lack of understanding about the presence and analysis of MP in the freshwater system in India, one of the leading global plastic producers and consumers responsible for 5.6 million tonnes of waste every year. The present attempt is the first in Ousudu Lake, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, to study the MPs occurrence and examine its properties in the surface water of the largest lake and an important wetland. The concentration range of MP in Ousudu Lake was 0.0039 particles/m2. Fibre was dominant, homogenous with the size fraction of ≤100µm comprised of total MPs collected in Lake. Raman spectroscopy identified plastics with polyethylene as a homogenous component. This study indicated that the presence of MP in water might influence the environment

Delineate Subsurface and Groundwater Investigation of Ongur Watershed, South India

The electrical resistivity technique is extremely supportive to investigate the nature of subsurface lithology by understand the variations in their electrical properties. The Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) technique by Schlumberger electrode array applied in 77 Locations at Ongur River Sub Basin in Tamil Nadu, India. The Signal stacking Resistivity Meter Model SSR-MP-ATS has been applied to gather the VES data by employed a Schlumberger array, one end current electrode (AB/2) ranging from 1 to 100 m, other side placing potential electrode (MN) from 0.5 to 10 m. The concept of the VES data interpreting is the foundation of IPI2Win. It means for a VES data are treated as a unity representing the geological structure of the Ongur River watershed. The output Geo-electrical layers, iso- resistivities and thickness of this area were prepared in spatial maps by using ARCGIS software. Consequently, the following zones with different resistivity values are detected consequent to different formations: (1) identification of lithology Ongur River Sub Basin, (2) layer saturated with fresh groundwater, (3) determine saltwater horizon

Assessment of Radon in groundwater and associated human risk from Sankarabarani River Sub Basin, Southern India

Radon (222Rn) and associated human risk assessment in groundwater from quaternary shallow aquifers of Sankarabarani River sub basin, Southern India has been attempted by considering 41 groundwater samples and analysed for 222Rn using scintillation Radon monitoring system. The Radon ranges between 0.140±0.01 Bq l-1 to 7.869±0.33 Bq l-1 with an average of 1.797±0.12Bq l-1 and found to be within the maximum contamination level of Environmental Protection Agency (11.1 Bq l-1). The doses of ingestion and inhalation calculated for radon varies between 0.709 µSv y-1 to 39.933µSv y-1 with an average of 9.121µSv y-1which is within the prescribed dose limit of 100µSv y-1 by World Health Organisation. Uranium speciation attempted suggests saturated Haiweeite and Soddyite as sources for uranium/radon into the aquifer systems. The Eh-pH diagram suggests uraninite solubility within the pH ranges 6 to 8 within the groundwater environment

Investigation of Submarine Groundwater Discharge using Thermal Satellite and Radon mapping along the East Coast of the Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry Region, India

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) demarcated as a significant component of hydrological cycle found to discharge greater volumes of terrestrial fresh and recirculated seawater to the ocean associated with chemical constituents (nutrients, metals, and organic compounds) aided by downward hydraulic gradient and sediment-water exchange. Delineating SGD is of primal significance due to the transport of nutrients and contaminants due to domestic, industrial, and agricultural practices that influence the coastal water quality, ecosystems, and geochemical cycles. An attempt has been made to demarcate the SGD using thermal infrared images and radon-222 (222Rn) isotope. Thermal infrared images processed from LANDSAT-8 data suggest prominent freshwater fluxes with higher temperature anomalies noted in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts, and lower temperature noted along northern and southern parts of the study area suggest saline/recirculated discharge. Groundwater samples were collected along the coastal regions to analyze Radon and Physico-chemical constituents. Radon in groundwater ranges between 127.39 Bq m-3 and 2643.41 Bq m-3 with an average of 767.80 Bq m-3. Calculated SGD fluxes range between -1.0 to 26.5 with an average of 10.32 m day-1. Comparison of the thermal infrared image with physio-chemical parameters and Radon suggest fresh, terrestrial SGD fluxes confined to the central parts of the study area and lower fluxes observed along with the northern and southern parts of the study area advocate impact due to seawater intrusion and recirculated seawater influence

Occurrence of Uranium in Groundwater from Cuddalore District Tamil Nadu Aided by Geospatial and Statistical Techniques

An attempt has been made to examine uranium distribution in groundwater from Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Groundwater occurs under porous sedimentary, fractured, and weathered hard rock formations ranging in age from recent sediments to the oldest Archean formations. A total of 186 groundwater samples were collected during Pre- Monsoon (May) and Post-monsoon (January) and analyzed for major cations, anions, and uranium using standard procedures. Major anions and cations follow the order Cl- >H4SiO4>HCO3- >NO3- > Na+> Ca2+> Mg2+>K+>SO42- > F-> PO43- irrespective of seasons. Uranium in groundwater ranges from 0.1 micro gram per liter (µg/l ) to 24.67 µg/l with average 1.82 µg/l. The spatial representation maps isolated areas of higher and lower uranium and statistical analysis inferred uranium sources to the groundwater environment

A study on the hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of groundwater from different depths in a coastal aquifer: Annamalai Nagar, Tamilnadu, India

Chemical characterization of groundwater is essential to bring out its nature and utility. Samples from shallow and deep ground water of the same location were collected and studied for their geochemical characteristics following standard procedures (APHA 1998). Sediment samples from different depths were collected and analysed for minerals using FTIR and SEM. Resisitivity logging was carried out in the bore well to understand the variations in depth to fresh water potential. The shallow ground water is dominated by Na-Cl-HCO3-SO4 and deeper groundwater by Na-HCO3-SO4-Cl types. It is observed that there is a significant ionic variation with depth. The ionic strength of the deeper samples is lesser than in the shallower samples. Wide pH variations in the shallow water samples are due to ion exchange process. Thermodynamic stability plot was used to identify the state of stability. It is inferred that there is no major significant difference in the thermodynamic state of stability in the shallow and the deeper aquifers as the aquifer matrix for the shallow and deeper aquifers are almost similar. Saturation index of Gibbsite, Kaolinite, Calcite, Dolomite and Anhydrite, were studied for shallow and deep aquifers, to identify the difference in hydrochemical signatures. The Si/Al ratios of shallow samples are less when compared with the deeper samples. Leaching of secondary salts was the chief mechanism controlling the ground water chemistry of the region

An attempt to identify and estimate the subsurface groundwater discharge in the south east coast of India

An attempt has been made to study the subsurface groundwater discharge (SGD) in the coastal Cuddalore region of south east India. Measurement for Radon, water level, Electrical Conductivity (EC) and pH in surface water for a total of twenty hours by hourly interval has been attempted and further correlated with tidal values calculated by WX Tide 32 software. The SGD measurements were made by using a modified seepage meter. The study reveals a match with water level variation and tide with minor variation due to influx of surface water. Saline discharges, fresh groundwater discharges and surface water mixing processes were identified along the coast. Lower SGD (37.24–79.16 cm/day) was observed during fresh groundwater discharge

Estimating groundwater inputs from Sankarabarani River Basin, South India to the Bay of Bengal evaluated by Radium (226Ra) and nutrient fluxes

Sankarabarani river basin gains significance due to presence of major industrial, agricultural, urban development and tourist related activities has influenced the water quality in the estuarine environment.  Investigations about river water quality has been attempted but not more studies focus about the evaluation of groundwater discharge a significant process that connects groundwater and the coastal seawater have been attempted.  For the present study, radium (226Ra) a naturally occurring isotope was measured at three locations and used as effective tracers for estimating the groundwater discharge along with nutrient inputs to the Bay. Groundwater samples representing north east monsoon (December, 2017) has been collected during tidal variation in three locations (Location A- away from the coast towards inland, Location B-intermediate between Location A and the coast and Location C-at the estuary). 226Ra mass balance calculated groundwater fluxes irrespective of tidal variations were 2.27×108 m3/d, 2.19×108 m3/d and 5.22×107m3/d for A, B and C locations respectively. The nutrients like Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), Dissolved inorganic Phosphate (DIP) and Dissolved Silica (DSi) were found to be influencing the coastal groundwater by contributing fluxes to the sea of about 679.33 T mol/day. The study suggests increasing radium and nutrient fluxes to the Bay altering the coastal ecosystems would result in surplus algal blooms creating hypoxia

Stable isotopic signatures in precipitation of 2006 southwest monsoon of Tamil Nadu

Southwest monsoon (SWM) controls the majority ofthe agricultural activities in Tamil Nadu (TN), though the amount of rainfall received due to this is relatively less. The nature and behaviour of water vapour over TN reveal the other dynamic processes that are in operation during this period of the year. Hence, the stable isotope signatures of d 18O and dD obtained here were used to derive the first local meteoric water line for the State with SWM precipitation. The d-excess parameter was also used in conjunction and it was found that three dominant processes were in operation during this period: (i) vapours from southeast Arabian Sea, (ii) local evaporating vapours from inland tanks and (iii) vapours from the Indian Ocean