Research Projects

The groundwater arsenic (As) problem in Punjab, India, has been a significant concern for policymakers and the population. A recent study by van Geen et al 2019 revealed that 25% of 13000 handpumps in western Punjab were found to be elevated in arsenic, exceeding the WHO guideline of 10ug per L. This issue is caused by the high concentration of arsenic and other geogenic contaminants in the water drawn by millions of handpumps. The distribution of As in handpump water is spatially highly variable but relatively stable over time. The Indus plain aquifers contain high levels of As, uranium, fluoride, and nitrate, which are controlled by redox state and excessive groundwater pumping due to organic carbon supply. The hydro-geochemical behavior of As in groundwater has been less studied in the Indus Basin, particularly the Ravi River catchment. studies on the other side of the Indian border have shown that As is released due to oxidative weathering of arsenopyrites in the Indus basin. This research aims to investigate the sources and mechanisms of As contamination in Ravi River Basin using a reactive transport and geochemical modeling approach. The approach will use data from laboratory analysis of water samples and drill cuttings to target more detailed process studies and establish the relationship between topographic, geologic, and changing hydraulic regimes due to over-exploitation on the occurrence of As in groundwater. The long-term objective is to provide a scientific basis for predicting where the composition of groundwater in the Indus Basin is likely to be hazardous to human health and how to target safe aquifers in this region.