Published Paper Details:

The use of ground water has increased significantly in the last decades due to its widespread occurrence and overall good quality. The present study aims at determining the suitability of ground water quality for drinking purpose at selected locations in Bhojpur. Groundwater is the main source of drinking water in Bhojpur. The Bhojpur polluted both surface and groundwater by discharging their wastes. Hence the present study has been undertaken to determine the physico-chemical characteristics of groundwater in some selected locations of Bhojpur. Various water samples were taken at three different locations. The samples are analysed for physico-chemical parameters. The results were compared with drinking water standards of Bureau of Indian Standards and World Health Organisation Standards (WHO 2011). Further the correlation studies among the different parameters of water were estimated. Geochemical characteristics and arsenic content of ground water in the Bhojpur were analyzed. Ground water is the local source of drinking water mainly used for bathing and farming purposes. The results indicate that total arsenic in ground water range between 225 to 876 and 0.3 to 656.9 ?g/L, respectively. Speciation of arsenic suggests arsenite the dominant arsenic. The variations of Br/Cl and B/Cl ratio, negative ORP (Oxygen Redox Potential) and high concentrations of Cl, Na, Cs, Li, Rb, Sr, B, Br and Rb in travertine spring samples confirm deep groundwater circulation in the basement. The results of saturation indices show that groundwater samples are super saturated with respect to iron oxides, calcite, dolomite, aragonite and under saturated with respect to gypsum and halite. Dissolution of arsenic-containing sulfide minerals is not the main source of arsenic contamination in groundwater.