Groundwater quality and hydrogeochemical analysis along Ambur Palar River, Tamil Nadu: Case study

Groundwater samples were collected during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons at Ambur, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Sampling sites are selected based on topographic, geological, and hydrogeological features to provide a complete assessment. These samples were analyzed for various physicochemical parameters and primary ion chemistry. Based on the analysis results, Gibbs diagram was developed to distinguish the quality of groundwater, which shows that groundwater is mainly controlled by rock-water interaction and layer standard evaporation. High concentrations of Na+ and Cl- indicate significant evaporation or crystallization processes in the study area. Multivariate statistical analysis including factor analysis (FA) and cluster analysis (CA) was used to identify underlying patterns in groundwater data. The impact of sewage on the Palar River was specifically studied. Studies show that tannery wastewater is a significant source of ionic compounds in groundwater. Mass analysis of major ions confirmed these findings; CA and FA showed that ion composition is influenced by geographical and anthropogenic factors. The information obtained from these analyses will be useful to policymakers in developing effective solutions for the conservation of land resources in the region. As a result, it was determined that the groundwater in the study area was not suitable for drinking.