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7( 2013) 143 Procedia Earth and Planetary Science

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Water Rock Interaction [WRI 14]

"ro#ndwater arsenic in the $l#vial %en&al 'lains( &eochemistry and miti&ation

). *hatter+eea,- %. .ath a-b- S. *ha/rabortya-c- S. 0a+#mdera-d- A. %iswasa-e- S. %homic/a-d- ). 1aldera-e- P. 0ondala-$ - A. 2#nd#a- ). Sahaa- S. %armana- 3.
%iswasa- 4. Sahaa- A. )asa - S. Sar/ara- ). *hatter+ee&
a Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani , Nadia , Pin-741235 , ndia ! "#hool of $eos#ien#es, University of "ydney, "ydney, N"% 2&&', ()stralia #Department of Chemistry, Kan#hrapara Colle*e, Kan#hrapara 743145, 24 P*s +N,, ndia d Department of Chemistry, Camp)s -ontilivi, University of $irona, $irona 17&71, "pain eDepartment of .and and %ater /eso)r#es 0n*ineerin*, /oyal nstit)te of fDepartment of Chemi#al 0n*ineerin*, KU .e)ven, 5-3&&1 .e)ven, 5el*i)m

1e#hnolo*y +K12,, 1e3ni3rin*en 7', "0-1&& 44 "to#3holm, "4eden

* Department of Chemi#al 1e#hnolo*y, 2erita*e nstit)te of 1e#hnolo*y, Kol3ata 7&&1&7, ndia

Abstract 5he water 6#ality and chemistry o$ the &ro#ndwater o$ the $l#vial %en&al 'lains have been investi&ated. 4t has been $o#nd that shallow a6#i$ers (7 80 m b&l) are contaminated in a $ew 'oc/ets- s#rro#nded by areas with low arsenic (As)9As:$ree &ro#ndwater- while the dee'er a6#i$er (; 100 m b&l) is &enerally $ree $rom As (7 10 <&9=). 4t also reveals that m#lti'le As mobili>ation 'rocesses are occ#rrin& sim#ltaneo#sly- rather than any sin&le &eochemical 'rocess. An attem't has been made to demonstrate the de&ree o$ As hetero&eneity with &ro#ndwater 6#ality- and this has been $ollowed by a $ew local conditions. 5he st#dy $#rther s#&&ests that the As distrib#tion (s'atio:vertical) hel's to identi$y sa$e shallow a6#i$ers- and several si&nat#res (colo#r o$ the sediments 9land #se 'attern9 &eomor'holo&ical $eat#res 9local rechar&e events) are a''arent that can be #se$#l $or $orm#latin& lon&:term miti&ation o'tions. ? 2012 5he A#thors. P#blished by Elsevier %.@. Selection and9or 'eer:review #nder res'onsibility ? 2013 5he A#thors. P#blished by Elsevier %.@. o$ Ar&ani>in& and Scienti$ic *ommittee o$ BC4 14 2013. Selection and9or 'eer:review #nder res'onsibility o$ the Ar&ani>in& and Scienti$ic *ommittee o$ BC4 14 2013

1. Introduction )rin/in& water has always been considered as the ma+or in&estion ro#te o$ As to the h#man system and recently- eD'os#re $rom the $ood chain has also been re'orted. 5he occ#rrence o$ As in &ro#ndwater

, *orres'ondin& a#thor. 5el.( EF1 33 28G2 3GG3H $aD( EF1 33 28G2 G2G2. 0-mail address6 de!ashis7#hatter8ee73)9*mail7#om7

1G7G:8220 ? 2013 5he A#thors. P#blished by Elsevier %.@. Selection and9or 'eer:review #nder res'onsibility o$ the Ar&ani>in& and Scienti$ic *ommittee o$ BC4 14 doi(10.101!9+.'roe's.2013.03.014

2013

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: Pro#edia 0arth and Planetary "#ien#e 7+ 2&13, 143 ; 14' D7 Chatter8ee et al7

(;80 <&9=) is observed in several 'oc/ets s#rro#nded by lar&e areas with low As9As:$ree water (1). 5he As distrib#tion 'attern is hetero&eneo#s in nat#re and o$ten shows severe anomalies with res'ect to s'atial and vertical distrib#tion. 5he in$l#ence o$ local conditions on As release9mobili>ation both s'atially and vertically is re'orted (2). 4n this st#dy we wo#ld li/e to doc#ment the s'atial scale o$ As hetero&eneity in a deltaic re&ion o$ Best %en&al. 5he inter:relationshi' between the 'revailin& local conditions and s#rveyed wells is st#died care$#lly that o$ten re&#lates the (hydro)chemical environmentnotably the concentrations o$ redoD elements. 3ltimately- this hel's to $orm#late the 'lannin& o$ water s#''ly str#ct#res and better mana&ement o$ the a$$ected a6#i$ers.
5he st#dy area (I 400 /m2- 23.02: 23.14o .H GG.4F: GG.!20 E) encom'asses 'art o$ the worldJs lar&est

delta. 5he a6#i$ers consist o$ thic/ (I #' to 280 m) sands overlain by a s#r$ace silty clay a6#itard (I 20 : 40 m). 5he #''er a6#i$er material consists o$ silica sand (G! K) with minor biotite- m#scovite- illite and iron oDyhydroDide- while the lower a6#i$er 'asses downward into silty sand. 5he area lies within the active $lood 'lain o$ the 1oo&hly:%ha&irathi Civer (3). 2. Methods and materials "ro#ndwater sam'les were collected in acid:washed bottles. 5he sam'lin& 'roced#res have been described 'revio#sly (1-3). Sam'les were $iltered (0.48<m membrane $ilter) and collected in three se'arate bottles( (i) As5 by AAS in 1" mode (@arian 440 A)- (ii) cations and trace elements (acidi$ied with s#'ra'#re 1.A3)- and (iii) ma+or anions. Analysis o$ As(444) and As(@) was made thro#&h a dis'osable cartrid&e (0etal So$t *entre- 3SA). Anion analyses were determined by 4*P and cations by 4*. Le5 and Le(44) concentrations were meas#red s'ectro'hotometrically #sin& 1- 10 'henanthroline (810 nm). )A* sam'les were meas#red by a Shimad># 8000 5A* analy>er.

colo#rs were observed soon a$ter their recovery $rom the borehole- 'rior to atmos'heric oDidation). Sediments were analy>ed by several techni6#es. *or& was analy>ed with the hel' o$ a *.S analy>er (=eco) a$ter initial dissol#tion in 10K 1*l to remove inor&anic carbon. *ommercially available re$erence materials (.4S5:S50:1!43e9S50:28G3) were #sed $or 6#ality control.

3ndist#rbed core sam'les were collected in 1)PE ba&s '#r&ed with nitro&en on:site (wash sediment

Li&. 1. (a) *onto#r ma's o$ &ro#ndwater As in the st#dy area (*ha/daha bloc/- Best %en&al)H (b) colo#r o$ washed sands.

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: Pro#edia : Pro#edia 0arth 0arth and Planetary and Planetary "#ien#e "#ien#e 7+ 2&13 7+ 2&13 , 143 ,; 143 14' ; 14' D7 Chatter8ee D7 Chatter8ee et al7et al7

148

3. s#r$ace Results and discussion water body (4F <&9=)- sanitary installations (44 <&9=). 5he distrib#tion o$ Le with res'ect to As
shows a stron& relationshi' within the so#th:eastern 'art o$ the st#dy area- whereas the distrib#tion o$ 0n shows a relationshi' with As in the north:western 'arts. 5he com'etitive ion:eDchan&e 'rocess is also 3717 $ro)nd4ater #hemistry and in'#t a<)ifer materials im'ortant where local anthro'o&enic is re&#latin& the system (wells ad+acent to a&ric#lt#ral $ields)beca#se o$ the hi&h PA4 3: chemistry is very similar to the As 3: in'#t $rom the locally #sed $ertili>ers (PA4 :9SA4 2:) are im'ortant beca#se they act as a terminal shallow oDyanions). and dee' 5he a6#i$ersconcentrations &ro#ndwaters o$ oDyanions have circ#m:ne#tral (.A3 '1 (8.F8 7.FG) and a narrow tem'erat#re ran&e (28.1 30 M*). 5he electrical cond#ctivities vary b#t are relatively hi&h (480 1814 <S9cm) in low electron acce'tor in a6#eo#s systems. As concentration (#' to F <&9=) in &ro#ndwater is relatively shallow a6#i$ers in the (1G0 s#&&ests G8! <S9cm). 5his that &ro#ndwaters in the a6#i$er is : is lower hi&h (#' to dee'er 12.!G a6#i$ers m&9=). 5his that thes#&&ests &ro#ndwater chemistry o$ where .A3 and the two a6#i$ers are $resh and 'ossibly di$$erent in a&e and ori&in (2). 5he Eh val#es o$ shallow &ro#ndwater sam'les show rechar&e hi&hly red#cin& nat#re (down to :1G7 m@). oDic 5hesed#e sam'les o$ten anthro'o&enic contain hi&h in$l#enced by local events and becomes more to local in'#t. 5he As5 (#' to 340 <&9=H notably as As(444))Le(44) (0.01 0.2 mmol9=)- 1*A3 9.A3P in s'eci$ic sites #nder di$$erent land #se distrib#tion o$ redoD s'ecies OiAs(@)9(444)9Le(444)9(44)9.14

"ro#ndwaters are normally o$ *a:1*A3 ty'e irres'ective o$ de'th and ty'e o$ a6#i$er sediments. 4n

: (4.G3 10 mmol9=) and low to is distinct and indicates the variation o$ the redoD stat#s o$ the a6#i$ers #nder s'eci$ic local conditions. 2 isand 5his $#rther s#&&ests that a sin&le mechanism (red#ctive dissol#tion o$ Le90n:oDyhydroDides) not.A3 : moderate concentrations o$ P (0.01 0.07 mmol9=) and 0n (#' to 3.2 m&9=). )A- SA4 E and concentrations are moderate to hi&h s#$$icient to eD'lain the hetero&eneo#s As distrib#tion 'attern. 4t)A* is li/ely that m#lti'le mechanisms are concentrations are low9very low- or even absent. 5he .14 o'eratin& maintain As release distrib#tion. A delineation o$ ris/shallow $ree a6#i$ers with res'ect to E #' toto 4.8 m&9= and )A* #' toand 10.83 m&9=) and are o$ten hi&h in those wells where (.14 'hysico:chemical characteristics (base cations9Eh9)A*91*A3)- &enerally elevated in the contaminated eDistin& local land #se (habitation9a&ric#lt#ral $ield9&eomor'holo&ical $eat#res) has been noticed d#rin& a6#i$ers- can be #se$#l $or identi$yin& &ro#ndwater as a sa$e reso#rce o$ water. 5his will be $#rther the $ield visit. 5he most interestin& is the conservative behavio#r o$ *l: which is &enerally low in ens#red by sediment colo#rs (&rey9white #n$avo#rableH oran&e9red $avo#rable)- alon& with its de'th concentration (mean 22.G m&9=) b#t can be hi&h (#' to 147 m&9=) in those wells which are located near de'endence and local land #se ma''in&. A $ield man#al can be made and necessary s/ill (trainin& o$ local (I 3:8 m) sanitation9'onds within habitations. 5he non:contaminated t#be wells are &enerally $ree $rom villa&ers9t#be well drillers9school teachers9local leaders) may be develo'ed to s#''ly sa$e &ro#ndwater As (710 <&9=) and their Eh is relatively hi&h (mean 2! m@) with hi&h concentrations o$ 1*A3 and rather than de'endin& on As removal o'tions incl#din& artic#lated 'i'ed water s#''ly that o$ten $ail in low9very low Le alon& with relatively hi&h concentrations o$ nitrate and s#l'hate. 5his indicates that these remote villa&es. 5hese miti&ation o'tions are less eco:$riendly- #ser:$riendly and cost e$$ective. wells occ#r #nder relatively oDic conditions. S#rveyed contaminated wells are &enerally in lowland areas ('resent day $lood basin and 'lain9bac/ swam'). 5hese are the areas where acc#m#lation o$ or&anic matter is common and there are easily bio:available and o$ten can be introd#ced into the a6#i$er d#rin& 4. Conclusion &ro#ndwater rechar&e (local rechar&e events). %iode&radable or&anics also li/ely 'lay a role in re&#latin& the redoD environment in the shallow a6#i$ers. 5he 'resence o$ hi&h concentrations o$ )A*- 1*A3 and As:contaminated wells &enerally occ#r in small 'oc/ets 80:100 m2) o$ 1olocene red#cin& (&rey with the redoD:sensitive elements (As9Le90n) is $#rther evid ence(I o$ a red#cin& environment associated hi&hly contaminated wells. %y contrastthe non:contaminated wells are &enerally located in the #'land sand) shallow a6#i$ers which overlies an relatively oDidised #nit (red sand) in a dee'er a6#i$er notably $ree $rom As. day 5he critical o$ the &ro#ndwater reveals that area ('resent levee- eDamination sand bar) that is $ree $rom com'osition nat#ral or&anics andLe:oDyhydroDide relatively oDic in nat#re. A6#i$er red#ction and As mobili>ation (widely eD'ected red#ction model) may not be the only 'rocess to eD'lain de'ths are also 'layin& an im'ortant role and dee'er levels are relatively #ncontaminated where low As hi&h As &ro#ndwater in shallow a6#i$ers. 5he com'etitive eDchan&e o$ ions can also in$l#ence As or distrib#tion As:$ree wells common. NC) data indicate that 6#art> micas (m#scovite- biotite and chlorite) when are the wells are located near to a&ric#lt#ral $ields d#e to and the PA4 3: in'#t the locally dominate the sediment mineralo&y. 5he avera&e *or& content o$ the sediment is relatively low $rom (#' to 0.8 K)#sed and there is no b#ried 'eat. 5he limited s#''ly o$ the *or& indicates that the sedimentary carbon so#rce $ertili>ers. is not an essential 'arameter (sin&#lar and9or s#$$icient) $or the develo'ment o$ the local red#cin& conditions in the a6#i$ers. 5he sediment colo#rs (&rey9o$$:white to white9oran&e to red) are o$ten im'ortant to distin&#ish between oDidi>ed and #noDidi>ed a6#i$ers (Li&. 1b). Aran&e9red sands (oDidi>ed References a6#i$er) are &enerally associated with an oDidi>in& environment where t#be wells yield As:$ree water whereas &rey9bl#ish:&rey9white9o$$:white sands yield hi&h:As water and are associated with a red#cin& O1P *hatter+ee )- 1alder )- 0a+#mder S- %iswas A- .ath %- %hattacharya P- %howmic/ S- et al. Assessment o$ arsenic eD'os#re environment.
$rom &ro#ndwater and rice in %en&al )elta re&ion- Best %en&al- 4ndia. Bat Ces 2010H 44( 8G03:12. &ro#ndwater arsenic concentrations in %an&ladesh. .at "eosci 2010H 3( 4!:82. O3P(s %hattacharyya C- Qana Q- .ath %Sah# SQ- *hatter+ee 3727 spatial distri!)tion and safe 4ater s)pply )- Qac/s ". "ro#ndwater As mobili>ation in the %en&al )elta Plain- the #se o$ $erralite as a 'ossible remedial meas#re a case st#dy. A''l "eochem 2003H 1G( 1438 81. O2P .e#mann C%- Ash$a6#e 2.- %adr#>>aman A%0- Ali 0A- Shoema/er Q2- 1arvey *1. Anthro'o&enic in$l#ences on

5he s'atial distrib#tion o$ As indicates that the contaminated wells are &enerally s#rro#nded by the sa$e wells (Li&. 1a). 5his is more 'rono#nced in the lowland areas (so#th and so#th:eastern 'arts). Sa$e water wells are rare in the $lood basin area where sediment colo#r is &enerally &rey to bl#ish &rey. 5he distrib#tion o$ As is a $#nction o$ site characteristics and land #se aro#nd monitored wells. 5he mean As concentration varies amon& the selected site characteristics where wells ad+acent to a&ric#lt#ral $ields have the hi&hest mean val#e (!7 <&9=) $ollowed by s#r$ace water body (!0 <&9=)- sanitation co#'led with