Arsenic and Fluoride Mobilization Mechanism in Groundwater of Indus Delta and Thar Desert, Sindh, Pakistan

• Main Authors: VIQAR HUSAIN, HINA NIZAM, GHULAM MURTAZA ARAIN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Society of Economic Geologists and Mineral Technologists 2012-06-01
• Series: International Journal of Economic and Environment Geology
• Online Access: http://www.econ-environ-geol.org/pdf/june/Article-3.pdf

Indus deltaic plain consists of medium to fine grained sediments, rich in organic matter deposited during the Holocene period. Thar desert is covered with sand dunes and loess originated from transported sediments from Rann of Kutch or the Indus plain by monsoon winds or by the reworking of local alluvial deposits. Groundwater salinity and microbial pollution are common in both types of lanforms, but arsenic (AS) and fluoride (F) toxicity dominate in the groundwater of Indus delta and Thar desert, respectively. Arsenic concentration in Tando Mohammad Khan and Tando Allayar varies from 10-500 ppb and exhibits near neutral slightly alkaline pH ranging from 6.8 to 8.0. Arsenic distribution is patchy and seems to be related to the prsence of small scale redox zonation in the aquifer. High arsenic affected areas are densely populated and intensively cultivated and its hot spots are those from where the Indus river passed during the Holocene period including Tando Allayar and Tando Mohammad Khan. Extensive ground water irrigation has accelerated flow of groundwater that brought dissolved degraded organic matter in contact with arsenic bearing sediments, enhancing reduction processes and triggering release of arsenic from detrital bioitite and muscovite in the groundwater. Furthermore, unlined sanitation and microbial contamination contribute to degradation of organic matter that enhances the reduction of iron oxy-hydroxide leading to release of arsenic to groundwater. Fluoride is found in all the groundwater samples of Tharparkar district, in the range of 0.96-2.74mg/l. The pH of groundwater is alkaline (7.38-8.59), which is accelerating maximum (1.24%)F dissolution in the groundwater. The favourable pH of groundwater and soil composition of Holocene sediments of Indus delta and slightly older alluvium of Thar desert, respectively are responsible for mobilization of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater of Sindh province of Pakistan.