Identification of groundwater prospective zones by using remote sensing and geoelectrical methods in Jharia and Raniganj coalfields, Dhanbad district, Jharkhand state

The Dhanbad district in Jharkhand faces acute water scarcity and is chronically drought-prone. The groundwater resources in the area have not been fully exploited. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the groundwater prospective zones. Landsat-5 Multi Spectral Scanner (MSS) data of band 2 and band 4 and false colour composite (FCC) of band 2, 3, 4 were interpreted visually to differentiate different hydromorphogeological units and to delineate the major trends of lineaments. The different geomorphic features identified are linear ridges, residual hills, and pediplain, buried pediment and dissected pediplain, besides lineaments. The study shows that the pediplain and buried pediments are promising zones for groundwater prospecting. The occurrence and movement of groundwater is restricted to the unconsolidated material, weathered and fractured rocks. For the selection of tube well sites, geoelectrical resistivity investigations have been carried out at the sites, which were found suitable based on hydrogeomorphological and hydrogeological studies. Twenty-six Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) have been carried out by using Schlumberger electrode configuration, which have brought out 3 to 7 layered sub-surface layers. The resistivity of water-bearing weathered/fractured rocks varies from 120–150 ohm m. The integrated studies have revealed that the blue colour zones are most promising for groundwater exploration and dug wells may be dug up to depths of 30±5m.     

Mechanism of aluminum release from variable charge soils induced by low-molecular-weight organic acids: Kinetic study

The kinetic curves of aluminum release from two variable charge soils and a kaolinite within 48 h can be divided into three stages: the first stage located within the initial 30 min, at which the release rate of Al was the fastest one and the released Al dominantly originated from exchangeable Al and amorphous Al pools. The Elovich equation fit the kinetics data at this stage fairly well. The moderate and the slow stages occurred within 0.5-2 and 2-48 h, respectively. During these two stages, the released Al was mainly attributed to Al oxides, poorly crystalline kaolinite and easily weathered hydrous mica. The different linear equations also fit the kinetics data at these two stages well. The rate of Al release decreased sharply with time during the fast stage, but the rate remained constant during the moderate and slow stages. In Ultisol, Al oxides were the more important pool for Al release than poorly crystalline kaolinite and easily weathered hydrous mica during the latter two stages. In Oxisol, poorly crystalline kaolinite was the more important Al pool. Compared to the control system, the presence of organic acids increased the rate and quantity of Al release from variable charge soils. The ability of organic acids to accelerate Al release followed the order: oxalic acid > citric acid > malic acid > lactic acid. This is generally in consistent with the magnitude of the stability constants of the Al-organic complexes. The release rate of Al also increased with the rise in concentration of organic acids.     

Hydrogeochemical investigation and qualitative assessment of surface water resources in West Bokaro coalfield,India

A hydrogeochemical study of surface water of the West Bokaro coalfield has been undertaken to assess its quality and suitability for drinking, domestic and irrigation purposes. For this purpose, fourteen samples collected from rivers and ponds of the coalfield were analysed for pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), major cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺), major anions (HCO₃^-, F^-, Cl^-, SO₄^2- and NO₃^-) and trace metals. The pH of the analysed water samples varied from 7.3 to 8.2, indicating slightly alkaline in nature. The electrical conductivity (EC) value varied from 93 μs cm^-1 to 906 μs cm^-1 while the TDS varied from 76 mg L^-1 to 658 mg L^-1. HCO₃^- and SO₄^2- are the dominant anion and Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ the cation in the surface water. The concentration of alkaline earth metals (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺) exceed the alkali metals (Na⁺ + K⁺) and HCO₃^- dominates over SO₄^2- + Cl^- concentrations in the majority of the surface water samples. Ca²⁺ -Mg²⁺ -HCO₃^- and Ca²⁺ -Mg²⁺ -Cl^- are the dominant hydrogeochemical facies in the surface water of the area. The water chemistry is mainly controlled by rock weathering with secondary contribution from anthropogenic sources. For quality assessment, analyzed water parameter values compared with Indian and WHO water quality standard. In majority of the samples, the analyzed parameters are well within the desirable limits and water is potable for drinking purposes. However, concentrations of TDS, TH, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Fe are exceeding the desirable limits in some water samples and needs treatment before its utilization. The calculated parameters such as sodium absorption ration, percent sodium, residual sodium carbonate, permeability index and magnesium hazard revealed good to permissible quality and suitable for irrigation purposes, however, higher salinity, permeability index and Mg-ratio restrict its suitability for irrigation at few sites.     

Assessment of Groundwater Quality of the Central Gangetic Plain Area of India Using Geospatial and WQI Techniques

The paper presents results of research to determine the health risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils of gold mining area in Ilesha, Southwestern Nigeria. Eighteen top soil samples were collected and analysed for PTEs using ICPMS. The pollution level in soils were assessed using pollution load index (PLI) and potential ecological risk index (PERI). The human health risk was assessed using hazard index (HI), non-carcinogenic risk index and carcinogenic risk index. All the PTEs were higher than crustal average values except Fe and follow the order Mn > Ba > Cr > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Co >Fe > As > Cd. The soil samples can be classified as unpolluted to moderately polluted (0.18-1.23) and low risk (15.28-94.24) based on PLI and PERI respectively. The values of hazard Index (HI) calculated for child and adult population for all the pathways were <1 and pose no obvious non carcinogenic risk to the population except for ingestion pathway where 33% of the samples showed value >1 in child population. As, Co, Cd and Pb constituted high cancer risk in the study area with child at higher risk than adult. The Total Cancer Risk (TCR) in the study area based on all the pathways ranges between 0.19 -3.86 and 0.18-3.58 for child and adult respectively and the ingestion route seems to be the major contributor to excess lifetime cancer risk followed by the dermal pathway.     

Forest type mapping and volume stratification of man-made forests with aerial photographs

The use of panchromatic (black & white) aerial photographs on 1:15,000 scale for forest type mapping and evolving a suitable basis of volume stratification for man-made forests of Haldwani Division of U.P. is discussed. Forest types by species, height and density were identified and ground survey data collected in 0.1 hectare circular plots were used to evolve the basis of volume stratification by statistical analysis. The methodology used for pilot studies before regional surveys are undertaken is presented.