Multivariate statistical approach for the assessment of fluoride and nitrate concentration in groundwater from Zaheerabad area, Telangana State, India

To assess the impact of fluoride and nitrate concentration on groundwater quality at Zaheerabad area, 50 groundwater samples were collected from borewells/dugwells and analyzed for major ions. Water quality analysis of major ions shows elevated concentration of fluoride and nitrate in few groundwater samples. The pH ranges from 6.6 to 8.9, electrical conductivity (EC) ranges from 86 to 900 µS/cm, TDS ranges from 55 to 576 mg/l. Fluoride concentration ranges from 0.13 to 2.63 mg/l out of which 18% of the groundwater samples have exceeded the permissible limits of 1.5 mg/l, while in the case of nitrate concentration 16% of the groundwater samples have exceeded the permissible limits of 45 mg/l. The water quality data were interpreted through multivariate statistical techniques, viz., hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis. The results clearly show that the fluoride concentration in the study area was controlled by geogenic process, whereas the nitrate concentration in the samples was due to the excess use of fertilizers, pesticides, and organic matter. Multivariate statistical techniques are potential tools and provide greater precision for identifying contaminant parameters that are linked with environment and natural rocks.