Unveiling hidden Flows: Tracing submarine groundwater discharge in Punnakayal Estuary coastal region, Tamil Nadu, India, through radon (Rn) and GIS topology.

The precise quantification and understanding of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) pose significant challenges, despite its critical role in the dynamics of coastal ecosystems. The present study conducted in the Punnakayal Estuary, Tamil Nadu, India presents an innovative approach to unveil hidden flows of groundwater discharge using a combination of radon (Rn) tracing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Topology. Radon (Rn), a radioactive gas that occurs naturally acts as a unique tracer for SGD due to its ability to partition between groundwater and surface water.

A review on global status of fresh and saline groundwater discharge into the ocean.

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is the groundwater flow from land to the sea across the seabed, and it includes both terrane freshwater and recirculated seawater in the sub-surface. This review (i) systematically evaluates findings of various quantification methodologies, (ii) examines the estimated SGD in scientific publications between 2000 and 2020, and (iii) quantitatively evaluates current situation of coastal zone management through the bibliometric analysis of research papers. Apart from enhancing the shortage of groundwater resources in coastal area, the SGD brings nutrients (nitrate and phosphate), toxic heavy metals, and organic compounds, and thus contaminate the seawater.

Groundwater pollution index (GPI) and GIS-based appraisal of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation in coastal aquifers of Tiruchendur, South India.

We assessed groundwater pollution index (GPI) and groundwater quality of coastal aquifers from Tiruchendur in South India for drinking and irrigation by evaluating the physico-chemical parameters of 35 samples of mainly Na-Cl type in an area of 470 km with respect to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard as well as by estimating different indices such as total hardness (TH), sodium percentage (Na%), magnesium ratio (MR), Kelley's ratio index (KR), potential salinity (PS), Langelier saturation index (LSI), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), sodium adsorption rate (SAR), permeability index (PI), and the irrigation water quality index (IWQI). Minimal influence of aquifer lithology and the dominant influence of evaporation on groundwater chemistry reflected the semi-arid climate of the study area. Electrical conductivity (EC) of about 89% of the samples across 418 km exceeded the permissible limit and Ca values of 74% of samples, however, remained within the allowable limit for drinking.