Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment of groundwater quality with special emphasis on nitrate contamination in parts of Gautam Budh Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Acta Geochimica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Progressive developments in industrial and agricultural activities are causing a critical stress on groundwater quality in developing countries. The objective of this paper is to assess and evaluate the contamination level of groundwater caused by leachate in 11 villages of the Gautam Budh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh, India. We systematically sampled 22 groundwater samples and 13 leachate samples to ascertain the source of pollution on groundwater quality. The standard analytical methods given by the American Public Health Association (APHA) (Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater, 23rd edn. APHA, AWWA, WPCF, Washington, 2017) were used for quantitative estimation of hydrochemical parameters of collected samples. The results of the analysis of groundwater samples indicate that pH values range from 7.31 to 8.97. The mean magnesium concentration in groundwater samples is 58.93 ± 21.44 mg/L. Out of the groundwater samples taken, approximately 41% and 73% of samples analysis results have been found beyond the acceptable limit with respect to the parameters of turbidity and total dissolved solids, respectively, according to the Bureau of Indian Standards (Indian standard specification for drinking water (IS:10500). BIS, Manak Bhawan, New Delhi, 2012) for drinking water. Around 95.4% of groundwater samples and 92.3% of leachate samples have high nitrate concentrations above the standard limit of BIS (45 mg/L), respectively. The Piper plot shows that 50% of the samples belong to the Ca2+–Mg2+–HCO3− type. Ternary and Durov’s diagrams indicate that the mean concentrations of ions are in the order of Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ (for cations) and HCO3−> NO3− > Cl− > SO42− > CO32− > F− (for anions) in groundwater of the study area. The spatial variation of the hydrochemical parameters shows that groundwater is heavily contaminated with respect to nitrate. Analytical results indicate that the groundwater of villages Achheja, Bisrakh road, Dujana, Badalpur and Sadopur is not suitable for drinking.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

(Source: CGWB, Ministry of WR, RD & GR)

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahada CPS, Suthar S (2018) Groundwater nitrate contamination and associated human health risk assessment in southern districts of Punjab. Environ Sci Pollut Res, India. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2581-2

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • American Public Health Association (APHA) (2017) Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater, 23rd edn. APHA, AWWA, WPCF, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Asadi P, Ashtiani BA, Beheshti A (2017) Vulnerability assessment of urban groundwater resources to nitrate: the case study of Mashhad, Iran. Environ Earth Sci 76:41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buccianti A, Pawlowsky-Glahn V (2005) New perspectives on water chemistry and compositional data analysis. Math Geo 37(7):703–727

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Indian Standards (2012) Indian standard specification for drinking water (IS:10500). BIS, Manak Bhawan, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Camargo JA, Ward JV (1995) Nitrate (NO3–N) toxicity to aquatic life: a proposal of safe concentrations for two species of nearctic freshwater invertebrates. Chemosphere 31(5):3211–3216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camargo JA, Alonso A, Salamanca A (2005) Nitrate toxicity to aquatic animals: a review with new data for freshwater invertebrates. Chemosphere 58(9):1255–1267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Census (2011) District Gautam Buddha Nagar. Uttar Pradesh, Government of Uttar Pradesh

    Google Scholar 

  • CGWB (2010) Ground water quality in shallow aquifers of India. Central Ground Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, Faridabad

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhary S, Gupta AK, Kumar L (2012) The sedges and grasses of Gautambudhnagar (Noida) U.P. India. Inter Multidiscip Res J 2(3):45–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Daw MM, Ali ER, Toriman ME (2018) Nitrate contamination in groundwater agricultural of Samno and Elzegan area, Fazan region, Libya. Int J Eng Technol 7(2.29):56–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ducci D (2018) An easy-to-use method for assessing nitrate contamination susceptibility in groundwater. Geofluids. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1371825

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudley N (1990) Nitrates: the threat to food and water. Green Print, London, p 118

    Google Scholar 

  • Durov SA (1948) Natural waters and graphic representation of their compositions. Dokl Akad Nauk SSSR 59:87–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Elisante E, Muzuka ANN (2017) Occurrence of nitrate in Tanzanian groundwater aquifers: a review. Appl Water Sci 7(1):71–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghaly AE, Ananthashankar R, Alhattab M, Ramakrishnan VV (2014) Production, characterization and treatment of textile effluents: a critical review. J Chem Eng Process Technol 5:182. https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7048.1000182

    Google Scholar 

  • Hosseini FS, Malekian A, Choubin B, Rahmati O, Cipullo S, Coulon F, Pradhan B (2018) A novel machine learning-based approach for the risk assessment of nitrate groundwater contamination. Sci Total Environ 644:954–962

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izydorczyk K, Hejduk DM, Jarosiewicz P, Bydalek F, Fratczak W (2018) Extensive grasslands as an effective measure for nitrate and phosphate reduction from highly polluted subsurface flow—case studies from Central Poland. Agric Water Manag 203:240–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joshi BC (2009) Central groundwater board. District Brochure of Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar PJS (2017) Geostatistical modeling of fluoride enrichment and nitrate contamination in the groundwater of Lower Bhavani Basin in Tamil Nadu, India. Model Earth Sys Environ 3(1):1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar M, Ramanathan AL, Tripathi R, Farswan S, Kumar D, Bhattacharya P (2017) A study of trace element contamination using multivariate statistical techniques and health risk assessment in groundwater of Chhaprola Industrial Area, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. Chemosphere 166:135–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lasagna M, Luca DAD, Franchino E (2016) Nitrate contamination of groundwater in the western Po Plain (Italy): the effects of groundwater and surface water interactions. Environ Earth Sci 75:240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Qian H, Wu J, Chen J, Zhang Y, Zhang H (2014) Occurrence and hydrogeochemistry of fluoride in alluvial aquifer of Weihe River, China. Environ Earth Sci 71:3133–3145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meisinger JJ, Delgado JA (2002) Principles for managing nitrogen leaching. J Soil Water Conserv 57:485–498

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagamani C, Devi CS, Shalini A (2015) Physico-chemical analysis of water samples. Inter J Sci Engr Res 6:2149–2155

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak B, Rocha SF, Aschenbrenner P, Rechberger H, Winter F (2012) Heavy metal removal from MSW fly ash by means of chlorination and thermal treatment: influence of the chloride type. Chem Engr J 179:178–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfnader WH, Brown JR, Garner GB (1993) Terminology for reporting nitrate concentration. University of Missouri Extension report G9802. http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G9802. Accessed 17 Dec 2014

  • Piper AM (1944) A graphic procedure in geochemical interpretation of water analyses. Transactions of the Ameri Geophysi Uni 25(6):914–928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Power JF, Schepers JS (1989) Nitrate contamination of groundwater in North America. Agri Ecosys Environ 26(3–4):165–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahmati O, Samani AN, Mahmoodi N, Mahdavi M (2015) Assessment of the contribution of N-fertilizers to nitrate pollution of groundwater in Western Iran (Case Study: Ghorveh-Dehgelan Aquifer). Water Qual Expo Health 7:143–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao NS (2006) Nitrate pollution and its distribution in the groundwater of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Environ Geol 51(4):631–645

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rezaei M, Nikbakht M, Shakeri A (2017) Geochemistry and sources of fluoride and nitrate contamination of groundwater in Lar area, south Iran. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24(18):15471–15487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schepers JS, Moravek MG, Alberts EE, Frank KD (1991) Maize production impacts on groundwater quallity. J Environ Qual 20(1):12–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh B, Sekhon GS (1976) Nitrate pollution of groundwater from nitrogen fertilizers and animal wastes in the Punjab, India. Agric Environ 3(1):57–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh B, Singh Y (2004) Balanced fertilization for environmental quality. Fertil News 49:107–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh VB, Tripathi JN (2016) Identification of critical water quality parameters derived from principal component analysis: case study from NOIDA area in India. Am J Water Res 4(6):121–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh AK, Tewary BK, Sinha A (2011) Hydrochemistry and quality assessment of groundwater in part of NOIDA metropolitan city, Uttar Pradesh. J Geo Soc India 78(6):523–540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh K, Singh D, Hundal HS (2013) An appraisal of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes in southern part of Bathinda district of Punjab, northwest India. Environ Earth Sci 70:1841–1851

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soltan ME (1998) Characterisation, classification, and evaluation of some ground-water samples in upper Egypt. Chemosphere 37(4):735–745

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Su X, Wang H, Zhang Y (2013) Health risk assessment of nitrate contamination in groundwater: a case study of an agricultural area in Northeast China. Water Resour Manage 27(8):3025–3034

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suthar S, Bishnoi P, Singh S, Mutiyar PK, Nema AK, Patil NS (2009) Nitrate contamination in groundwater of some rural areas of Rajasthan. India. J Haz Mat 171(1–3):189–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (1993) Guidelines for drinking-water quality, vol 1. World Health Organisation, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO) (2004) Guidelines for drinking-water quality, vol 1, recommendations (3rd). World Health Organisation, Geneva

  • Wu J, Sun Z (2016) Evaluation of shallow groundwater contamination and associated human health risk in an alluvial plain impacted by agricultural and industrial activities, mid-west China. Expo Health 8:311–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Wu J, Xu B (2018) Human health risk assessment of groundwater nitrogen pollution in Jinghui canal irrigation area of the loess region, northwest China. Environ Earth Sci 77:273

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Galgotias University, Plot No. 2, Sector 17-A Yamuna Expressway, Greater Noida, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Meenu Agarwal & Meenakshi Singh

  2. National River Water Quality Laboratory, Central Water Commission, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Jakir Hussain

Authors
  1. Meenu Agarwal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Meenakshi Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jakir Hussain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Meenu Agarwal.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 17 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Agarwal, M., Singh, M. & Hussain, J. Assessment of groundwater quality with special emphasis on nitrate contamination in parts of Gautam Budh Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Acta Geochim 38, 703–717 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-018-00311-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-018-00311-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation