Research Projects

Water quality and quantity are crucial for environmental degradation, especially in the context of drinking and irrigation. Inorganic contaminants like salinity, Cl¯, F¯, NO3¯, Fe, and As play a significant role in determining water suitability. To address this issue, hydrogeochemical parameters such as pH, EC, TDS, major elements, and trace elements must be determined using standard procedures. The Pambar River basin in Tamil Nadu, India, is composed of Late Precambrian rocks characterized by carbonatites, syenites, pyroxenites, gneiss, charnockite, and vermiculites. Radioactive minerals, particularly Nb-rich Pyrochlore, are present in carbonate rocks, leading to radiation in groundwater, rocks, and soils around Sevathur and Samalpatti regions. This can lead to health-related problems, including carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic disorders. Dental and skeletal fluorosis are common health issues in the area due to excess fluoride in groundwater. Geogenic radiation in geological formations causes asthma and cancer, while fluoride ions released from minerals like apatite, hornblende, biotite, and vermiculite cause dental and skeletal fluorosis. Lower exposure can weaken bones and result in osteomalacia, while higher radiation can cause cancer. Preliminary studies indicate that radiation is present in groundwater used for drinking, domestic, and irrigation purposes. Radioactive element levels range from 0 to 240.8 ppb in groundwater and 0.1 to 5.9 µSv/h in soils and rocks. Investigating radiation in soil, rocks, and groundwater, and associated health risks, is essential. Groundwater flow and quality modeling should also be conducted to predict subsurface hydrogeochemical processes responsible for high fluoride and radiation concentrations in the region.