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Application of Geochemistry and Isotope to understand the process of Groundwater Fluoride Elevation in Granitic Aquifer
  • Anirban Chowdhury,
  • Nihal Abdel Mohamed Gawad
Anirban Chowdhury
Sidho Kanho Birsha University Department of Chemistry Purulia 723104 (India)

Corresponding Author:anirbangeo@gmail.com

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Nihal Abdel Mohamed Gawad
Ain Shams University, geology, Cairo, Egypt
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Abstract

Groundwater fluoride is the major cause of the endemic fluorosis. Global fluorosis data indicate that that granitic aquifer which fractures controlled hydrology is highly susceptible to contaminate groundwater with high fluoride. Till date there has not been any sincere effort to understand the type of granitic aquifer based on the different type of the granites and their fluoride content. The present paper assesses the different types of granites and their fluoride content. Dissolution of fluoride from these rock types are the major source of high fluoride contamination in the groundwater. The granitic aquifers are also dominated by fracture control hydrology which enhances the chances of rock water interaction and dissolution of fluoride. The mineralogy of the rocks is also favorable due to the presence of biotite and muscovite which are found to have high affinity to donate fluoride during rock water interaction as shown by the following equation. KAl2[AlSi3O10]F2+2OH- = KAl2[AlSi3O10]OH-+2F- (Muscovite) KMg3[AlSi3O10] F2+2 OH- = KMg3[AlSi3O10]OH-+2F- (Biotite) Delineation of the type of aquifer and the geochemistry of the granitic rocks needs to assess to understand the geogenic causes of fluoride in the granitic aquifer along with the water chemistry (pH>8) which enhances the rate of dissolution of fluoride during rock water interaction. Further estimation can be made by the application pf isotopic data particularly 18O, 2H, 3H, 34S isotope which can quantitatively estimate the sources of fluoride and contribution from different sources as well as rock water interaction time.