Spatial Distribution of Fluoride in Groundwater of Narasinghpur Block, Cuttack, Odisha, India

Aims: Fluoride-rich groundwater is common in granite aquifers throughout India and the world. The fluoride concentration of tube well water was investigated in this study. Also discussion was made on fluorides and their correlation with other water-quality indicators.

Place and Duration of Study: The research area i.e. Narasinghpur block fall in the western half of the Cuttack district of Odisha under lateritic uplands and hilly tract. Before the rainy season (January, 2020), fifty two groundwater samples from different places in Narasinghpur were collected.

Methodology: Standard procedures were used for collecting, preserving, analysing, and interpreting several parameters viz., pH, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, HCO3-, CO32-, F- etc. of water samples.

Results: The content of fluoride ranged from 0.58 to 4.95 mg L-1. Fluoride containing minerals released into groundwater due to the alkaline pH and high bicarbonate levels. The arid environment of the region, the predominance of granitic, khondalitic, and charnockitic rocks, the longer contact time with fluoride-bearing minerals, and the minimal freshwater exchange are responsible for the high concentration of fluorides in the groundwater. Positive correlations were found between F- and pH (r= 0.681**), Na+ (r= 0.690**), and HCO3- (r= 0.719**), and negative correlations with Ca2+ (r= -0.565**) and Mg2+ (r= -0.597**).

Conclusion: Majority of the groundwater samples collected from gram panchayats falling under the block contained fluoride level higher than that set by BIS/WHO standard, posing a hazard to various ecosystems. The people dependent on these groundwater resources are prone to several health hazards.