Appraisal and evolution of hydrochemical processes from proximity basalt and granite areas of Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) in India

This paper deals with a systematic hydrochemical study carried out at proximity basalt and granite areas of Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) in India to assess groundwater quality and evaluate the hydrochemical processes. A total of 40 groundwater samples were collected equally from these areas and analyzed. Results showed that the groundwaters rich in alkaline earth in the basalt and alkali rich element in the granite. The dominancy of cations was observed as Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ in the basalt and Na+ > Mg2+ > K+ > Ca2+ in the granite, whereas anions as HCO3- Cl- > SO42- and Cl- > HCO3- > SO42-, respectively. Hydrochemical processes were identified with the helps of ion exchange, carbonate weathering and dissolution, multiple ionic ratios, and silicate weathering, which shown the predominance of carbonate, dolomite, calcite and silicate (anorthite) weathering in basalt, but in granite, silicate (alkali feldspar) weathering was dominated. Factor analysis also showed that there were multiple processes acting on groundwaters, were separated from the main cluster. Salinity, Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR), Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Kelley's Ratio (KR) and Permeability Index (PI) in well samples showed that groundwater in basalt was more suitable for irrigation purposes. Further, a digital elevation model (DEM) was generated using Global mapper (8.0 version) software, which aided to decipher the thickness of basalt trap, and vertical transition zone of basaltic (trap) and granitic (basement) aquifer at this DVP comprising with the well depths and groundwater chemistry. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.