Geochemistry and sources of fluoride and nitrate contamination of groundwater in Lar area, south Iran

Abstract

Groundwater quality in bone-dry and semiarid areas of Iran is decreasing because of contaminants from natural origins and anthropogenic sources. Among many harmful contaminants, nitrate and fluoride ions are more common. This study was carried out with the aim of determining geochemical processes controlling chemistry of groundwater with special reference to nitrate and fluoride enrichment in groundwater in Lar plain aquifer, south of Iran. Groundwater samples were collected from 17 sites and analyzed for main constituents (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, F⁻, and NO₃⁻). Composite diagram, saturation indices calculation, and multivariate analysis techniques including cluster and factor analyses were employed in evaluating groundwater quality. The EC ranges from 8793.87 to 13,345.00 μS/cm in wet season and from 9621.59 to 12,640.00 μS/cm in dry season. Fluoride amounts range between 0.59 and 3.92 mg/L. Nitrate concentrations range between 1.47 and 70.66 mg/L. Results indicate that dissolution–precipitation of carbonate and evaporate minerals, evaporation (in terms of agricultural water return), and opposite ion interchange are the main processes that determine groundwater chemistry. It seems that fluoride has a natural origin and the equilibrium reaction between fluorite and calcite is very significant to control fluoride concentration level in water. Vertical variation of nitrate concentration and distribution of agricultural areas have indicated that nitrate originated from nitrogenous inorganic fertilizers used during irrigation periods. The results also indicate that denitrification takes place in the aquifer and that nitrate decline is not only a function of dilution but also a process of denitrification.

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