Research Projects

Groundwater research is motivated by the needs to understand origin of solutes and their controlling parameters/processes, groundwater quality, groundwater residence times, groundwater flow, the transport of contaminants and their treatment methods, and management of the groundwater resource. One of the topics bearing social relevance is groundwater quality, the challenge can emerge in the form of higher concentrations of stable elements (e.g., As, F, Cr,) or of radioactive elements in them (e.g., U). Contaminant mitigation strategies therefore require the knowledge on mechanisms and processes that affects the groundwater quality. Higher concentrations of U in groundwater has been reported in several districts of Punjab (Amritsar, Bhatinda, Mansa etc.), whereas the declared safe limits for consumption by WHO and DAE are 30 ppb and 60 ppb respectively. Uranium is known to affect human kidney, liver and bones (ATSDR, 2013) and the associated chemical and radiological toxicity is a complex function of exposure route, solubility, and contact time and elimination route. Therefore, it is quite imperative to address the problem of high U concentration on three major directions: (I) Survey of the groundwater across the regions to identify the ones which are severely affected by high U concentration. (II) Impacts assessment/effects on the population (III) Understand the origin of U is groundwater; that is, a detailed understanding of the sources of and mechanism by which (high) U originates in the groundwater. A few sporadic studies focused on determining the U concentration, and/or 234U/238U activity ratio from the study area and therefore lacks the basic geochemically integrated approach to understand the origin of high U. This proposal stems from the lack of basic understanding the origin of (Uranium) radioactivity and the primary processes controlling abundances of U in groundwater samples from the study area. The proposed study attempts on the potential of multi-isotope-tracer (2H, 13C, 14C, 87Sr/86Sr etc.) to address the geochemical evolution of the radioactivity in the groundwater which the previous studies lack or not have attempted to do so. This proposal definitely supplements the earlier works, and bridges the knowledge gap that exists on the geochemical origin of (U) radioactivity in groundwater from the study area. Question: The primary question that will be targeted in this study is how high U enters into the groundwater system and what are the important sources and their contributions? Meeting the objectives of the planned study, the greater significance of the proposal lies in formulating appropriate strategies to reduce radioactivity in groundwater and managing the precious sustainable resource.