Geochemistry of Arsenic and Salinity-Contaminated Groundwater and Mineralogy of Sediments in the Coastal Aquifers of Southwest Bangladesh

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a geochemical database by thoroughly analyzing groundwater and sediments from coastal aquifers of southwest Bangladesh. Moreover, we investigated the source of sediment deposition and the mechanisms behind the presence of arsenic and salinity in groundwater. The seasonal distribution patterns of arsenic among the shallow and deep coastal aquifers were found to be 45.12 µg/l and 20.65 µg/l during dry and wet seasons, respectively. Moreover, the groundwater salinity distribution ranged from 3262.88 mg/l to 1930.88 mg/l during the dry and wet seasons. Cored sediment samples showed fine to medium sands of 92%, with silt and clay particles. The petrographic study of authigenic and heavy minerals revealed that the mineral grains were subangular to angular, indicating their textural immaturity of coastal sediments. The reactivity of goethite (FeOOH) and siderite (FeCO3) minerals suggests that the aquifers were subjected to slightly oxidized to moderately reducing conditions, with ORP values ranging from +50.40 mv to −149.5 mv. Such redox conditions could potentially result in the enrichment and mobility of arsenic in the groundwater. Although arsenic concentrations in deep aquifers are relatively low, higher salinity values are found in both shallow and intermediate coastal aquifers.