Assessment of ground water quality in various parts of Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu (India)

The present study is assess the quality of ground water from Thanjavur district, and check its fitness for drinking eight samples of ground water were collected from Thanjavur district. The pH was estimated by pH meter, calcium, magnesium, chloride were analyzed by titration method sulphade, iron, nitrate, nitrite, chromium were estimated by spectrometric method, total dissolved solids of the water samples was determined by gravimetrically, colour of the water samples was determined by platinum-cobalt method ,taste of the water samples can determine by taste rating method, turbidity of the water samples was determine by Nephelometric method etc., are determine for some parts of Thanjavur district water samples compared with standard limits recommended by BIS. Comparative study of groundwater for this region can be used for the quality of water is more suitable for drinking purpose.


INTRODUCTION
Water is an essential natural resource for sustaining 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. Fresh water occurs as surface water and groundwater in this groundwater contributes only 0.6% of the total water resources on earth. It is major and preferred source of drinking water in rural and urban areas particularly in India.
In many countries around the world including India some of the regions are contaminated. Presence of more than 200 chemical constituents in groundwater has been documented including about 150 organic, 50 inorganic and radio nucleotides. Contaminants in groundwater exist for hundreds of years due to their slow movement in water aquifers.
In developing countries contamination of water supplies by organic chemicals is lesser concern, because most of the health problems are found to be associated with the presence of inorganic chemicals and pathogenic organisms in drinking water. Physiologically calcium is needed for the body in small quantities, though water provides only a small proportion of the body's requirement of calcium. Calcium salts are nontoxic except at very high doses. In human body, Hypercalcimia causes coma and death, if serum calcium level rises to 160 mg / 100 ml. High concentration of magnesium has a laxative effect, acting like "Milk of Magnesia" and the water becomes unpalatable before toxic concentrations are reached. Excess of magnesium (above 400 mg/l) in water causes nausea and muscular weakness. Generally hardness has no adverse effect on health. However, some evidence has been attributed about its role in heart disease (Park and Park, 1980). According to the report of NRC (1977), fifty studies in nine countries have established a consistent statistical association between drinking water hardness and incidence of cardio vascular problem. High concentrations of hardness of 150 -300 mg/l and above have been reported to cause kidney problems (Jain, 1998).
South western part of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh, most of the ground water samples have higher concentration of fluoride compared with WHO permissible limit (V. Sunitha, et.al.).
The chandola lake receives very high amount of pollution from the surrounding. And the water of lake is highly contaminated and if the similar condition continue for the longer period, chandola lake may soon become ecological inactive (verma pradeep, et.al.,).
The groundwater samples of TDS, TA, Ca 2+ , Fe 3+ are high from both Thiruvarur and Nagapatattinam Region. The estimated parameters were compared with BIS drinking water quality guideline. The physicochemical analysis of water samples concluded that the water quality of these two regions most of the areas ground water is not suitable for drinking purpose (D. Kannan et.al.).
Ground water quality of Bikaner and kolayat revealed that, in some samples water quality parameters like total alkalinity, pH, hardness, TDS, sulphate, chloride, nitrate, calcium, magnesium and iron were beyond the permissible limit as per WHO standards. So the proper environment management plan may be adopted to control drinking water pollution. The ground water of this area needs some degree of treatment before drinking and it needs to be protected from contamination so as to prevent adverse health effect on human beings (Rajdeep Kaur, et.al.).
The ground water in yinchuan area has been assessed for its chemical constituents and suitability for drinking and irrigation uses. According to the findings of this study, the ground water in the study area is not entirely fit for direct drinking with respect to TDS, TH, Fe 3+ , Fˉ, chloride, and sulphate. In some of these constituents exceed the permissible limits of SDWQ (Li Peiyue, et.al.). The study involved the determination of physical and chemical parameters of groundwater from Thanjavur district in Tamilnadu (India). The objective of the study is to assess the present water quality parameters like pH, Alkalinity, TDS, Al 3+ , etc., to compare the result with the BIS Permissible limits.

1. Study area
Thanjavur is located at 110 38' 0" N and 750 45' 0" E. Fig. 1 shows the location of the ground water samples collected. Table -1 are given about sampling points of Thanjavur district.

Methodology
Total eight ground water samples were collected from bore wells of study area (Fig. 1), using pre cleaned sterilized poly -propylene plastic bottle with cap. The sampling has been carried out in the month of JUN-2014. The samples in the canes were kept in the refrigerator. Table 2 is given about methods used for estimation of variation physicochemical parameters.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The water samples were collected from various parts of Thanjavur district, and were analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics. The temperature, odour and taste of the samples were noted at the collection point immediately.
The other physical parameters such as turbidity, odour, connectivity and total dissolved solids were determined by standard procedures. The pH of the water samples was measured using pH meter. The chemical parameters like alkalinity, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness and chloride were estimated titrimetric method, iron, nitrate, nitrite, sulphate and phosphate were estimated by spectrometric method. The results were compared with B1Sdrinking water quality guideline. The estimated physicochemical parameters are reported in the Table number 3 and 4.

1. Colour
Colour of water may be due to the presence of fine particles in suspension (or) due to certain mineral matter in solution. The entire collected sample had colorless, (Table 3).

2. Temperature
The temperature of the water is important for its effect on the chemical and biological reactions of the organisms in water. Temperature is an essential factor in the determination of other parameters like conductivity pH, etc., the temperature of the samples ranged from (29.4 °C to 32.3 °C), (Table 3).

Odour and Taste
Organic and inorganic chemicals originating from domestic wastes and by decomposition of vegetables matter contributes taste and odour to the water. The entire collected sample had odour less and taste less, (Table 3).

4. Turbidity
Turbidity in natural water is caused by clay, organic matter, phytoplankton etc., and the turbidity of ground water sample from Thanjavur region range from (0.2 NTU to 0.8 NTU), (Table 3).

CONCLUSION
The physicochemical analysis of water samples concluded that the water quality of Thanjavur region is acceptable for drinking as well as for other purpose, but the ground water sample number S1 is not suitable for drinking purpose, because in the presence of excess total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, Fe 3+ and magnesium ion concentration. So rain water harvesting is one of the solutions to minimize the inorganic chemical concentration in ground water. This study given a knowledge and awareness created among the people.