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Fluoride Mobilization and Provenance Identification in Semi-arid Conditions: A Hydrochemical and Isotopic Approach

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Surface and Groundwater Resources Development and Management in Semi-arid Region

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Abstract

Health ailments due to fluoride rich groundwater is a major threat to millions of people around the globe. Fluorosis is more common in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world (USA, China, Argentina, India, etc.). This chapter emphasizes the significance of various factors deciding the fate of fluoride release in the groundwater. Fluoride release is mainly attributable to geogenic processes such as fluoride-bearing minerals in the aquifer matrix, prevailing climatic conditions, pH conditions, ion-exchange reactions, residence time etc. A significant positive correlation of F− with parameters like pH, Na+, HCO3−, SO42−, and Cl− describes the influence of evaporation and the role of chemical weathering on fluoride-bearing rocks. Further, saturation to over saturation of calcite while undersaturation of fluorite mineral under alkaline condition is indicative of silicate weathering and ion exchange reactions facilitating F− release in the semi-arid conditions. Anthropogenic inputs include use of phosphate fertilizers, brick kiln, aluminum smelting, cement industries etc. which are capable of enriching nearby groundwater system with fluoride. Stable isotopes 18O, 2H, and 34S have been utilized in the semi-arid regions to decipher the provenance and mechanism of F− release in the groundwater. Evaporation plays a crucial part in the enrichment of F− in arid and semi-arid zones globally. It is evident from various studies that slope of the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) in the semi-arid regions is manifested by a lower slope than the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL), reflecting the importance of evaporative enrichment in F− release in the semi-arid conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Head, Department of Geology, BHU, Varanasi and Institute of Eminence (IoE), BHU for their constant support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Abhinav Patel, Abhinesh Kumar Singh, Nijesh Puthiyottil & Shive Prakash Rai

  2. Environmental Hydrology Division, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India

    Rajesh Singh

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  1. Abhinav Patel
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  2. Abhinesh Kumar Singh
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Correspondence to Shive Prakash Rai .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, India

    Chaitanya B. Pande

  2. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Bihar, India

    Manish Kumar

  3. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India

    N. L. Kushwaha

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Patel, A., Singh, A.K., Singh, R., Puthiyottil, N., Rai, S.P. (2023). Fluoride Mobilization and Provenance Identification in Semi-arid Conditions: A Hydrochemical and Isotopic Approach. In: Pande, C.B., Kumar, M., Kushwaha, N.L. (eds) Surface and Groundwater Resources Development and Management in Semi-arid Region. Springer Hydrogeology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29394-8_6

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