Research Article

Fluoride enrichment in aquifers of the Thar Desert: controlling factors and its geochemical modelling

  1. Chander Kumar Singh1,2,
  2. Rina Kumari2,
  3. Neha Singh2,
  4. Javed Mallick3,
  5. Saumitra Mukherjee2,*

Article first published online: 5 JUN 2012

DOI: 10.1002/hyp.9247

Additional Information

How to Cite

Singh, C. K., Kumari, R., Singh, N., Mallick, J. and Mukherjee, S. (2012), Fluoride enrichment in aquifers of the Thar Desert: controlling factors and its geochemical modelling. Hydrol. Process.. doi: 10.1002/hyp.9247

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Natural Resources, TERI University, New Delhi, India

  2. 2

    Remote Sensing Applications Lab, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

  3. 3

    Faculty of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

*Saumitra Mukherjee, Remote Sensing Applications Lab, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India. E-mail: saumitramukherjee3@gmail.com

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 5 JUN 2012
  2. Accepted manuscript online: 13 FEB 2012 02:10PM EST
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 13 JAN 2012
  4. Manuscript Revised: 21 DEC 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 31 AUG 2011

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Keywords:

  • geochemical modelling;
  • saturation index;
  • Jaisalmer;
  • fluoride toxicity;
  • Thar Desert

Abstract

The groundwater is the only source of drinking water in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, India. The study area is a part of the Thar Desert. It has low and scattered population and no industries; hence, the possibility of anthropogenic input of fluoride is almost negligible. Thus, the enrichment of fluoride is only possible due to geochemical processes taking place in the groundwater of the region. A total of 100 groundwater samples, 34 samples from Jaisalmer and 66 samples from the Pokharan administrative blocks, were collected. It was observed that the concentration of fluoride ranged from 0.08 mg/l to 4.56 mg/l in the groundwater of Jaisalmer and from 0.56 mg/l to 6.60 mg/l in the samples of the Pokharan block. The alkaline condition (average pH, 7.7 ± 0.22 and 8.01 ± 0.25 in Jaisalmer and the Pokharan administrative block, respectively) in the region favours fluorite dissolution. Ion exchange, dissolution of calcite, semi-arid climate, alkaline conditions and weathering are responsible for fluoride enrichment in the groundwater of the study area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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