Groundwater Quality: with Focus on Fluoride Concentration in Rural Parts of Bagalkot District, Karnataka and Defluroidation Studies

Abstract

Water is an essential natural resource for sustenance’s of life and environment that we have always thought to be available in abundance and free gift of nature. However chemical composition of surface or subsurface water is one of the prime factors on which the suitability of water for domestic, industrial and agriculture purpose depends. In North Karnataka region especially Bijapur, Bagalkot and Gadag districts are dry and drought prone areas. Dependability of ground water for drinking and irrigation is more.  Fluoride is one of the main problems associated with the quality of ground water in the area resulting into dental and skeletal Fluorosis. Generally higher proportions of dissolved constituents are found in ground water than in surface water because of greater interaction of ground water with various materials in geologic strata. Therefore in this study Groundwater quality studies of Bagalkot district with focus on Fluoride is carried out. Defluoridation by fixed bed adsorption using mixed bed containing zeolite, Alumina and Bone ash in equal proportion in a column is performed. The method is simple and economical and removes 50-60% of Fluoride. Therefore the method can be used where the Fluoride content up to 3-3.5 mg/L and fluoride affected area are shown in maps.

Keywords: Fluoride Defluoridation Zeolite Adsorption