Statistical and analytical evaluation of groundwater quality of Vinukonda area, Andhra Pradesh, South India

The present study examines thirty groundwater samples to evaluate their chemical composition and usability, with particular emphasis on essential cations, anions, conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total alkalinity (TA), and total hardness (TH). The usability assessment utilizes a variety of analytical approaches, including Durov and Doneen diagrams, Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), percentage soluble sodium (% Na), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and Chadha diagrams. A combination of multivariate statistical analysis and graphical techniques is employed to elucidate the hydrogeochemical processes that affect water quality for both drinking and agricultural purposes. Through principal component analysis, five components were identified, which collectively account for 82.714% of the variance. The first component (PC1) differentiates between the influences of carbonate weathering and seawater intrusion, while the second component (PC2) highlights volatilization processes and fluctuations in cation concentrations. Insights derived from this analysis suggest that the groundwater is generally appropriate for use; however, the quality is notably affected by geological factors such as rock weathering, precipitation patterns, seawater intrusion, and evaporation processes. Moreover, the integration of geological and hydrochemical data underscores the significant relationship between water-rock interactions and the statistical methods used in understanding groundwater dynamics, ultimately informing us about the implications for groundwater chemistry and its usability in the region.